The Power of Freedom
by BlueTiger321
Summary: A city is taken control of by a ruthless dictator, and it's up to a group to see to it that freedom is obtained with the power of music to guide them.
1. Prologue: Dark Times

Prologue: Dark Times

BlueTiger321: Hey everyone! It's hard to believe but I am back with a brand new story. As you have read from the description, this is going to be a musical-type story featuring songs that I have come to adore growing up, which is somewhat similar to _We Will Rock You_ and _Rock of Ages_ and other plays. One of the reasons why I'm writing this story is because I feel that a lot of the music today is just crap, which must be a sign that I'm getting old! *shudders* Anyway, I will guide the cast of characters that I have come to love throughout my other stories on a whimsical tale filled with action, comedy, romance and, most importantly, good music. Now I should mention that I shall name each particular song and the artist/band that was famous for singing it just to give you all the feeling of what to listen to and to save myself from having to give credit to each song at the end of each chapter (and I also don't mean to insult anyone's intelligence if any of you have heard these songs before). And since this is a T-rated story, I will not include any songs that have extremely bad language (no matter how awesome I think they are). So here's the legal stuff: the story is of my own creation but the cast of characters used are property of their respectful owners, credit goes to the websites_ A-Z Lyrics Universe_ and _Jango _for the lyrics of each song, and every song used is property of their artists. And with that out of the way, please enjoy this story!

* * *

><p>In the fabled Toon City where various characters of cartoon shows, anime and video games made their home, a thick cloud of misery loomed over their heads. Once every citizen lived a carefree life in harmony, but now they were facing the ultimate punishment for absolutely no reason. The mood quickly spread over all of them and made them feel that life was no longer worth living.<p>

The cause for this unexpected mire was of one person whom every citizen had come to hate. Her face was plastered on every billboard throughout the city and various posters lined nearly every building to remind everyone that she was in command. No one could even go ten feet without staring into her cold, sadistic yellow eyes sitting in her malicious face that held a calm smile. Her black hair was tied back into a small bun while the rest parted in the front into two bangs. Everyone knew that this girl was their new ruler, Azula.

Because of her influences, Azula had taken over the city and ruled with an iron fist. Her first decree was to take every dangerous felon out of the prison known as Arkham City and let them wander the streets to scare the civilians into obedience. The entire metropolis had also been sealed shut with a large wall that was patrolled constantly by Azula's new guards, who were the operatives of TYGER that once were in charge of security of Arkham City, to prevent escape.

The streets of Toon City were now a place where no one was safe from danger, and it would seem like that only to the ones who had given up hope.

"**New Dark Ages" **

**As Made Famous by Bad Religion**

(A/N: Just to let you all know, if I haven't shown any character singing the songs, it means I'm giving you the freedom to imagine whichever character you want to sing. It also means that I don't have to worry about whether a particular character should be singing.)

Various toons gathered around CN Square looked up at the sky and felt a sudden urge to express their feelings of the recent events. They then broke out into song:

_Yeah can you hear the call in our rambling land susurrations, _

_That can expand beyond all hope of light and plunge us into unrelenting night_

_A pall on truth and reason, _

_It feels like hunting season _

_So avoid those lines of sight and we'll set this right_

_Welcome to the new dark ages _

_Yeah, I hope you're living right _

_These are the new dark ages _

_And the world might end tonight_

As the singing continued, a group of thugs all dressed in camouflage pants and winter jackets, some wearing black ski masks, and having a patch of clothing shaped like a tall, black bird on their backs, walked up to the Square to see what was happening. They were former henchmen of the supervillain, the Penguin, and they each looked on as the civilians sang their hearts out.

_Now come ye children one and all - let's heed Ezekiel's call, _

_And bide until the word is good and ripe and get plucked clean out of sight_

_The world will be erased our kin will be _

_Immaculate ejaculate in space _

_Before the king of king's love, he'll snatch us _

_From above, brothers help me sing it_

_Welcome to the new dark ages _

_Yeah, I hope you're living right _

_These are the new dark ages _

_And the world might end tonight_

It was during that time that one henchman shook his head, thinking that all the singing was getting on his nerves and that the civilians had no right to publicly express themselves. "What a bunch of morons," he said. "They're just makin' fools outta themselves."

Another henchman snickered as an idea suddenly formed in his head. "Well then, maybe we oughta give 'em a little incentive to break it up."

The idea seemed like a good one to the others as they all nodded their heads and beat their fists into their palms. After all, to them it was their job as instructed by Azula to keep the citizens in line—and they loved it.

The thugs then marched over to CN Square just as the song was nearing the end.

_So how do you sleep _

_There's nothing to keep _

_This is deep_

_Because we're animals - with golden rules _

_Who... who can't be moved by rational views, yeah_

_Welcome to the new dark ages _

_I hope you're living right _

_Welcome to the new dark ages _

_Sing it again, yeah_

_These are the new dark ages _

_I hope you're living right _

_Welcome to the new dark ages _

_And the world might end tonight_

The toons all ended by holding up their hands and looking at the sky as if it was their only place for finding peace. It abruptly ended when they all saw the group of thugs walking up in a threatening manner.

"All right, folks, show's over! Now get lost!" shouted a henchman.

Feeling intimidated by the thug's presence, the toons all looked wide-eyed in fright and ran off as fast as they could all in different directions. The other thugs all made shooing motions with their hands to add to the effect and to show they were serious about them breaking up their gathering.

"Get outta here, or we're gonna mess you up good!" shouted another henchman.

"And we better not see you here again, ya filthy maggots!"

CN Square was now empty, save for the men who entered. They then broke out in laughter and high-fived each other for their act of cruelty.

"Man," said one of them, "that felt good."

"It sure as hell beats workin' for Penguin."

"Finally, we're doin' somethin' we're good at and nobody can stop us. This is the life."

"Now c'mon, let's go find some other suckers to scare."

The thugs left CN Square together to find some more diabolical work all in the name of their new master. The mood around the Square seemed to be filled with despair after they were gone since there was no shred of hope left for anyone to have.

* * *

><p>BlueTiger321: Well, there's the end of the prologue. Seems really dark, doesn't it? Oh well. In the first chapter we'll be greeted by the first batch of characters along with the story's villain. So, until next time, be sure to read and review!<p> 


	2. Chapter 1: Shattered Dreams

Chapter 1: Shattered Dreams

BlueTiger321: Okay, so we're on with the first chapter. With Toon City being taken over, it looks like all is lost… but that's what Azula thinks. Here comes the first bunch of characters!

* * *

><p>Elsewhere in Toon City just as it reached midday, a group of four walked through the streets while paying no attention to what was around them except for their own interests. Their types of clothing made them look similar to each other although they still each possessed their own unique features. They were all doing their best to avoid any kind of contact with the thugs patrolling the streets as well for any TYGER operatives, and so far their strategy seemed to work in their favour, but they knew that their luck would only take them so far and it would only be a matter of time until they, too, would fall victim to the terrible things that happened to everybody else.<p>

The fact that their home had been taken over dampened their spirits, and yet they strode through the streets while trying to make the most of it just like they saw their fellow civilians try, for if they were to give in to the compliance of Azula then she would finally have them bowing to her will. But they all knew that they could never let that happen, especially from knowing full well just what she was capable of doing.

Each member of the group had just passed by the shadow of a building and entered the daylight. The incandescent glow shone directly into their eyes and forced them to squint while still making no effort to slow their pace. But the light revealed that the group consisted of two boys and two girls.

The first boy appeared to be twelve years old, but his friends knew that looks were deceiving as he was much older than he appeared to be. Dressed in a yellow and orange robe with black pants and boots, he walked with a long staff like a walking stick. His grey eyes stared forward while the wind blew over his bald head, but the most distinguishing feature were the blue arrows tattooed on his arms and head to make everyone aware that he was part of the sacred order of the Air Nomads.

Walking next to the boy was a fourteen-year-old girl with tanned skin. Her blue eyes shined brilliantly as sapphires in the sunlight while her long brown hair reached down her back and fluttered lightly against the cool breeze. Wearing a flowing blue dress with blue gloves, brown boots and a blue necklace that had a water carving in the pendant, she walked calmly while still keeping a wary eye out for danger.

A few feet away from the first girl was her fifteen-year-old brother who also had tanned skin, blue eyes and short brown hair shaped into a ponytail behind his head. He was clothed in a blue long-sleeved shirt and pants with blue gloves and brown boots, and he seemed the most unsatisfied about what he and the others were going through, but he decided to go along with the crowd and accept everything—at least for now.

The last member was a blind twelve-year-old girl. Despite her disability, she was able to see because of her ability to sense vibrations in the ground through her bare feet. Her clothing was a green and yellow dress while her black hair was tied into a large bun. All the constrained fury she felt for the city's new ruler made her feel like taking it out on the next person who crossed her the wrong way, no matter what the consequences would be. But still, she knew that she would eventually get her chance.

Everyone in Toon City knew this group was famous for their heroic deeds and they were led by the first boy, Aang, the Avatar.

Aang stared at the sidewalk as he walked with his friends. Never before had he felt so helpless against such an evil influence, and it made him feel like all his training and his duties were being put to waste. "I can't believe that it's actually come to this. Our own home isn't safe anymore, and it's all because of Azula."

The first girl named Katara walked close to Aang and said, "I know how you feel. This city is supposed to be where we have the right to live our lives the way we want them to be. But now it feels like we're all inside a prison."

Sokka, Katara's brother, decided to speak his own mind. "No, I'll bet prisons would allow even more freedom than this. I'd rather compare Toon City to an apocalyptic wasteland where it's survival of the fittest."

"That's a little bit morbid, don't you think?" said the blind girl, Toph. "But yeah, I'd go with that. Azula does make it seem like even the word freedom has no meaning here. What I can't understand is how far that bug had to crawl up her butt in order for her to be this nasty; it must feel so lonely right now."

The others gave a short chuckle at Toph's remark, but it did little to lift their spirits. They resumed their walking with quiet demeanor while contemplating about how they were going to have the will to carry on through such depressing times. The only thing that offered them the slightest bit of comfort was the knowledge that they had each other for support as well as the support of their other friends.

"Hey, guys?" said Katara. "I wonder how the others are doing."

"Who knows?" replied Aang. "We haven't been able to make contact with them since Azula took over. But knowing them, I'm sure they're all right. It's too bad that Zuko isn't with us right now; he'd probably tell us what he'd do about his psycho sister."

"Yeah, that'd be for a good laugh or two," said Toph, "if only for a moment."

Just then, the group paused when they heard screaming coming from their left. They were horrified when they saw one of Penguin's former henchmen snatch the purse of a woman named Chi-Chi. The woman tried to fight back but was outmatched by the thug and was knocked to the ground. Seeing that his prize was easily won, the thief took off into an alley and disappeared from sight. Chi-Chi stood up, dusted herself off and was then reduced to tears after having been mugged.

Aang shook his head in disbelief, knowing that there was nothing he could do to help the poor woman without having been made by the man who attacked her. "Unbelievable," he said with slight anger. "Because of Azula's stupid law, I can't even protect people like I'm supposed to. I feel so mad right now that I just want to blow her into outer space!" The boy Avatar then got his chance when he saw a poster of Azula pasted onto the wall of a nearby building, and so he used his Airbending to create a small tornado in front of the poster to rip it off the wall and hurl it skyward.

Katara, feeling sympathy for her friend, placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Aang, don't beat yourself up over it. If you would've interfered, that man would've reported it to Azula and then you and that woman would be in even worse trouble."

"It still doesn't make it any better. What good are we if we're not permitted to help those in need?"

"I know things seem terrible, but we've just got to go along with it. All we can do right now is hope for a better tomorrow."

Sokka took the words of his sister and thought hard. Nobody, whether they were the ruler of his home or not, could ever take away his freedom. "You know something, Katara? You're right. Azula may have control over the city, but she can never truly have control over us as long as we never lose faith in ourselves."

"**It's My Life"**

**As Made Famous by Bon Jovi**

The boy then walked ahead of his friends and went to the middle of an empty intersection when he immediately felt like singing out his true feelings:

_This ain't a song for the broken-hearted_

_No silent prayer for the faith-departed_

Sokka's friends watched him stand out and sing and suddenly felt inspired by his courage like he was doing something that they also should be doing. They smiled at him while he continued.

_I ain't gonna be just a face in the crowd_

_You're gonna hear my voice_

_When I shout it out loud_

Balling his hands into fists, Sokka shot them into the air like he was trying to break free of Azula's rule—and in his mind he told himself that it worked.

_It's my life_

_It's now or never_

_I ain't gonna live forever_

_I just want to live while I'm alive_

_(It's my life)_

_My heart is like an open highway_

_Like Frankie said_

_I did it my way_

_I just wanna live while I'm alive_

_It's my life_

Aang gave a weird glance to Sokka after hearing what he thought he heard. "Who's Frankie?" he said.

"It's part of the song; just go with it," replied Sokka.

Feeling that there was no other explanation, Aang shrugged his shoulders and followed his friends down the street. The song was then being heard by other civilians who stared at the group oddly at first but then realized that they were singing so as not to be bogged down by Azula's rule.

_This is for the ones who stood their ground_

_For Tommy and Gina who never backed down_

"Tommy and Gina?" Katara asked quizzically.

"Again, part of the song, so don't ask," Sokka replied before resuming his melody.

_Tomorrow's getting harder make no mistake_

_Luck ain't even lucky_

_Got to make your own breaks_

At the pause, Sokka once again used his fists to show he was breaking through the walls that contained his freedom, but this time his friends joined with him.

_It's my life_

_And it's now or never_

_I ain't gonna live forever_

_I just want to live while I'm alive_

_(It's my life)_

_My heart is like an open highway_

_Like Frankie said_

_I did it my way_

_I just want to live while I'm alive_

_'Cause it's my life_

The civilians cheered along with Sokka for his bravery: it was truly wondrous for everyone to see someone was finally willing to stand up for their rights and not have to tolerate the regime any further. They all then marched along with the Water Tribe boy to support what he was expressing.

"Sounds like Sokka's already building quite a fandom," said Toph.

Katara chuckled and was proud for what her brother was doing. "I can't believe it, either. We should get everyone's support in no time."

Sokka continued his singing just as he paused in the street.

_Better stand tall when they're calling you out_

_Don't bend, don't break, baby, don't back down_

The pause occurred again, and this time everyone punched out into empty space to signify they were breaking free.

_It's my life_

_And it's now or never_

_'Cause I ain't gonna live forever_

_I just want to live while I'm alive_

_(It's my life)_

_My heart is like an open highway_

_Like Frankie said_

_I did it my way_

_I just want to live while I'm alive_

Sokka took the time to look around and see that he was able to bring so many people together all because he showed his true feelings. It made him feel good about himself to see that he had such a positive effect on the people, and so he finished off his song with fervor.

_It's my life_

_And it's now or never_

_'Cause I ain't gonna live forever_

_I just want to live while I'm alive_

_(It's my life)_

_My heart is like an open highway_

_Like Frankie said_

_I did it my way_

_I just want to live while I'm alive_

_'Cause it's my life!_

The streets were filled with cheers when the song was over. Everyone gathered around Aang and his friends praised them for speaking out, and it showed just what they thought about the new ruling that was forcefully placed on them. It soon quieted down when Katara got up front to address the crowd.

"I think that my brother said it best," said the girl. "There's no way that we should let Azula bully us like this. If we stand together and show her that we're united in attaining our freedom, we will have a brighter future!"

Another cheer erupted from everyone who was convinced that that was what they intended to do. Seeing the enthusiasm from the citizens had finally lightened Aang's mood, and he felt confident that he was now going to perform his duties as the Avatar to protect the innocent and keep balance. His happiness soon spread on to his friends as they all embraced each other in a big hug.

"We can do this, guys," said Aang, "as long as we're all together."

Sokka then pointed out another fact. "Well, we're not _all_ together, but this is good enough."

"I'm too happy to even knock you on your butt for that stupid comment," said Toph. A few seconds later she shrugged her shoulders. "Oh, what the heck." Toph swiftly punched Sokka in the chest and knocked him to the ground like she said she would.

Getting back up, Sokka looked around and paused when he saw something approaching from the sky. His face showed absolute terror as its sight and it made his friends look at him with deep concern.

"Sokka, what's wrong?" asked Katara.

Holding up a shaking finger, the boy pointed in the direction where he was staring, but by then a large shadow engulfed the crowd. One by one the citizens stared in suspense to see that a large black helicopter fly down to the street, which caused everyone to step back in panic as it touched down and land right in the middle of the road. The rotors kept blowing air down on the crowd until they were shut off by the pilot. All the people watching stared in wonder at who was going to exit from the helicopter, but Aang and his friends already had scowls on their face as they deduced who would make such an ostentatious entrance.

The doors to the helicopter opened and out walked what looked to be a sixteen-year-old boy clothed in a red shirt and pants along with black boots. His yellow eyes were barely visible through his messy black hair as it hung over his face, but even that could not cover the large scar that stretched from his left eye over to his ear.

Aang, Katara, Sokka and Toph gasped at the sight of this person as they knew who it was. But being so far back in the crowd, they doubted that the boy could see them.

"Zuko?" said Aang. "Why was he in the helicopter?"

"I don't know," said Sokka, "but I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation for it."

Zuko looked out at the crowd of people who stood before him. Taking in a deep breath through his nostrils, he relaxed himself as he was preparing for what he was going to say. "People of Toon City, I present to you your new ruler, Azula!"

Another gasp exited from Aang and his friends. None of them could believe that their friend would ever say such words about the person they knew he despised the most.

"That doesn't sound like a reasonable explanation to me," said Toph.

Zuko was not done; he then worked up his body to make another introduction into a melody.

"**Killer Queen"**

**As Made Famous by Queen**

_She keeps Moet et Chandon_

_In her pretty cabinet_

_'Let them eat cake' she says_

_Just like Marie Antoinette_

_A built-in remedy_

_For Khrushchev and Kennedy_

_At any time an invitation_

_You can't decline_

Aang and the others were left speechless at what they saw. Zuko was supposed to be their friend and now they saw him working for his sister like he was some lapdog.

_Caviar and cigarettes_

_Well versed in etiquette_

_Extraordinarily nice_

It was during that time that someone else exited the helicopter while Zuko continued to sing. Everyone gasped when they saw that it was Azula wearing her dress that was a mix of light and dark red. Waving out to the people, she could see that they all gave her less than happy stares—but she knew that it was all going to change in an instant when she was going to address them.

_She's a Killer Queen_

_Gunpowder, gelatine_

_Dynamite with a laser beam_

_Guaranteed to blow your mind_

_Anytime_

The pity that Aang and the others felt for Zuko was switched with rage. For so long they saw their friend trying to change what he used to be and now here he was serving under Azula like all his efforts meant nothing to him.

_Recommended at the price_

_Insatiable an appetite_

_Wanna try?_

Azula walked out and spread out her arms with a charming smile on her face. "Greetings, my good people," she said. "It is I, Azula, your dedicated ruler. I see that you have also met my dear brother, Zuko, who is such a good presenter. Now, I come before you on a matter of grave importance that must be spoken without further delay."

A few mumbles from the crowd could be heard as they were getting even more aggravated by the girl's arrogance. But still, they dared not to attack her for fear of having any of her guards try to rush in to stop them and knowing that Azula was also a Firebending prodigy who would reduce them to cinders before they could even make the first move.

With a slight smirk, Azula decided to extend her entrance. Turning to her brother she said, "Zuzu, if you would be so kind as to keep singing for me?"

"Yes, sister," replied Zuko, and resumed his introduction.

_To avoid complications_

_She never kept the same address_

_In conversation_

_She spoke just like a baroness_

_Met a man from China_

_Went down to Geisha Minah_

_Then again incidentally_

_If you're that way inclined_

Aang's group was now getting extremely infuriated by the display but kept silent for seeing where this was all going.

_Perfume came naturally from Paris_

_For cars she couldn't care less_

_Fastidious and precise_

_She's a Killer Queen_

_Gunpowder, gelatine_

_Dynamite with a laser beam_

_Guaranteed to blow your mind_

_Anytime_

Azula strode down the street with Zuko following close behind her, and everyone watched as the girl was performing acts of kindness in front of them. She started off by bowing to an elderly woman named Agnes Skinner, then moved on to help an elderly man named Professor Farnsworth by straightening his posture, and then went over to two children named Stan Marsh and Kyle Broflovski where she hugged the two boys and gave each of them a kiss on the cheek. When she walked away, she did not see the boys made gagging sounds by sticking their fingers in their mouths to show they felt like vomiting.

Meanwhile, the Avatar's group shook their heads in both disgust and anger at what they were witnessing.

"Who does Azula think she's fooling?" said Katara. "This is nothing but a cheap, theatrical façade just to gain everyone's trust."

"Well, at least we're smart enough not to fall for it," said Aang. "But who in their right minds would be so dumb to believe this garbage?"

Just then, Aang, Katara and Toph saw Sokka snapping his fingers to the beat which made them give a disappointed stare at him after he won over the crowd before.

Sokka saw that his friends look at him like he was crazy. "What? You gotta admit that the introduction is pretty catchy."

The others said nothing while Zuko continued with his song.

_Drop of a hat she's as willing as_

_Playful as a pussy cat_

_Then momentarily out of action_

_Temporarily out of gas_

_To absolutely drive you wild, wild..._

_She's all out to get you_

_She's a Killer Queen_

_Gunpowder, gelatine_

_Dynamite with a laser beam_

_Guaranteed to blow your mind_

_Anytime_

Azula and Zuko then walked side-by-side down the street where they stood in front of the crowd just as the song was coming to an end.

_Recommended at the price_

_Insatiable an appetite_

_Wanna try?_

_You wanna try..._

The girl saw that she had gotten the attention of the civilians, so now she could finally execute her plan. She knew that with her charisma, she could easily get them on her side. "People of Toon City, I thank you all for listening to what I have to say. It is with great pride that I speak to you not as your leader, but as your equal."

A man named Soichiro Yagami then spoke out by saying, "If you really are our equal, then you wouldn't be treating us like this!"

The crowd joined in what was said by giving shouts of support. They were finally going to show Azula that they weren't going to be her slaves any longer.

Raising her hands to stifle their shouts, Azula continued her speech. "I know that you must feel like you're all being trapped in here, but I can assure you that I have your best interests at heart."

"Then why did you put up the wall around the city and let those horrible men run rampant?" said a woman named Sheva Alomar.

"Ah, yes, the wall. For that I must ask: Have any of you ever wondered what lies beyond our world?"

The crowd was silent as they pondered what was indeed outside of Toon City. None of them had ever considered what was really on the outskirts and it made them question if what was there was truly safe or not.

"Well, I do," said Azula. "I have witnessed unspeakable things that no one should ever have to see, things that even I would not wish on my worst enemy. The wall around the city is for your protection because it is the only way for our home, and all of us, to be safe from harm.

"As for the former inmates of Arkham City, I have let them free because I feel that everyone deserves a second chance at life. By letting them roam freely among us again, we will be giving those men the second chance they deserve when they see us acting like good civilians do. Now I understand that it will take some time for some of them to adjust back to normal than others, but you have my word that they will become the outstanding people I know they are."

The explanation from Azula seemed to be getting through to the crowd as their expressions changed from rage to pleasantness. The way that she said everything to them had made much sense and now they understood why they needed to be done. But Aang and his friends, on the other hand, were still not convinced by her theatrics.

"No! Don't listen to her!" said Aang. "She's just trying to get you on her side!" Unfortunately, the boy's cries of warning had fallen on deaf ears.

"I know that we had gotten off to a rocky start," said Azula, "but I intend to show you all just what kind of leader I can be. I will do everything in my power to ensure that Toon City is a wonderful place to live. If you will allow me, then you will have a bright future!"

A few seconds had gone by, and the crowd erupted in cheers, but this time it was for Azula. The girl smiled as she saw that she had finally earned the trust of the people, which made her feel that she could now do anything to keep them satisfied. With her business concluded, Azula walked back to the helicopter with Zuko. The door was closed shut behind them and the aircraft spun its rotors to rise from the street where it vanished from sight in the sky.

Each citizen left the street and resumed their daily lives when they discovered that there was nothing to worry about, but Aang and the others stood where they were left in shock and awe.

Katara slapped a hand to her forehead and grumbled angrily. "Typical! Azula manipulates people just to get them to see things her way."

"Never mind that! What about Zuko?" said Toph.

"Yeah," agreed Sokka. "I still can't believe that he would switch sides like that. What the hell is this world coming to?"

"I don't know," said Aang, "but now I feel even more helpless than before."

The others all shared their friend's sorrow. After seeing that someone they thought was a good person change so easily, they felt that there was now nothing that could keep their hope alive. They walked down the street in silence, feeling they should all accept this new regime and not try to stand against it.

* * *

><p>BlueTiger321: Wow! I'll bet none of you were expecting this.<p>

Aang: How could Zuko do this to us?

Katara: I always knew he was no good!

Sokka: I knew it before you did!

Toph: If I ever run into him, he's gonna be so sorry!

BlueTiger321: Whoa, guys! You shouldn't make assumptions so quickly. Anyway, folks, the next chapter will have the rest of the crew all up to different situations and with more awesome music on the way. So, until next time…

Everyone: Read and review!


	3. Chapter 2: Lovers in a Dangerous Time

Chapter 2: Lovers in a Dangerous Time

BlueTiger321: Well, it seems like some of our heroes have faced an awful truth that none of them want to believe. Now it's time we see what their friends are up to, and you can be sure that it won't go smoothly for any of them.

* * *

><p>Deep in the renowned Toon City Park, the grass swayed against the wind while birds chirped like they would on any other day. The only difference was that it was now facing harsh punishment as a result of the former inmates of Arkham City. Everywhere inside the park were splintered park benches, graffiti painted over walls and trees, garbage strewn about and left to rot on the ground, and broken street lamps. The once cheery park had now become a disaster that no one would ever want to visit.<p>

But for some people, the park was the perfect place to get away from the insanity that had befallen them. Two figures stepped out from behind a bush and quickly sprinted across the grassy fields to avoid being detected. With their fleet feet they managed to cover much ground in such a short time from all the training they had done throughout their lives.

After running for so long the two figures had gotten to their destination in the park: the basketball court. Both nets had been rendered useless after their metal poles were bent, making them look like wilting flowers, and, like many other areas of the park, the walls were covered with graffiti. Although this spot had been chosen, playing basketball was very far from both of their minds.

All seemed peaceful for the two when they thought they finally had some privacy, but just then they heard footsteps approaching their spot which caused them to gasp loudly enough for the mysterious people to hear.

"Hey, did you hear that?" said one man.

"Hear what?" said another.

"I think someone's here."

"Well, then he'll be in for a big surprise when we greet 'im!"

The footsteps then got louder as the group creating them ran over to the basketball court, leaving the two newcomers to think desperately for a plan. One of them shifted his eyes and then grabbed the hand of his friend since he already knew of a way for situations like the one he faced.

Stepping out onto the court were more of Penguin's former henchmen to see whom they would get to rough up for their own amusement. They could no longer contain themselves as they laughed all the way over and then stopped.

"Peekaboo!" shouted a thug.

But when the henchmen stepped into view, they saw that the basketball court was completely empty. Nowhere in sight was there anyone who looked to have been the cause for the recent disturbance. All the men set their faces in confusion as they tried to understand why one of them had heard a noise only to find nobody waiting for them.

"Weird," said the first henchman. "I coulda sworn I heard somebody here."

"You sure about that?" said another man. "It sounds like you need to have your ears checked."

The first henchman then brushed it off and decided that it wasn't worth all the trouble to hunt down someone who might or might not have been there. "Ah, let's get outta here. I've got better things to do." So he and his comrades left the basketball court like he said they should.

"You mean like cleaning out your ears?" joked another.

"Keep up the smart mouth and I'll clean out your ass with my boot."

The men were gone and the basketball court was empty once more. When everything seemed tranquil, two figures then appeared out of thin air: a boy and a girl. They exhaled a sigh of relief after narrowly escaping a confrontation with the henchmen that neither of them felt like experiencing.

The boy was a Caucasian fourteen-year-old with black hair slanted forward and blue eyes. His clothing was rather simple for someone his age, consisting of only a white T-shirt with red trim and a red oval in the centre, blue jeans and red and white tennis shoes. Feeling that it was a job well done, he dusted his hands clean and smiled at the feat he knew not everyone could accomplish.

The girl standing next to him was Asian and was also slightly younger. Her brown eyes complemented her long black hair that had a single strand on the left side dyed a deep pink. She was dressed in a green T-shirt with a pink symbol shaped like a dragonfly, blue jeans that had the waist low enough to show her midriff, brown shoes and a brown band on her right wrist that contained a purple gem in the centre. Unlike her friend, her heart was racing at the thought of being discovered but she calmed herself down by seeing that the worst part was over.

It was then that the girl embraced the boy for his quick thinking and ingenuity. He could feel his cheeks turning rosy red as he humbly accepted the congratulation but knew that he would always do it when the two of them faced a difficult situation.

"Thanks, Danny," said the girl. "You making us invisible really made us lose those buttholes."

The boy known as Danny then scratched the back of his head while thinking of the right words. "It was nothing, June."

June, backing away, shook her head with a huge grin on her face. "Of course it was something. After all, you are Danny Fenton, who also happens to be Danny Phantom! You've got a great gift with your ghost powers, and you really shouldn't take them for granted."

After feeling a slight chuckle coming out, Danny then said, "Oh, so I guess I should say something about you, too."

"That would be nice, yeah."

"Okay, then. You are Juniper Lee, who also happens to be the Te Xuan Ze! You've got a great gift with your amazing strength and agility, and you really shouldn't go showing them off all the time."

June gave a playful punch at Danny's shoulder and knocked him back a few inches, but the boy was still able to keep his balance. Even though his friend was kidding around when she hit him, he still felt like someone hit him with a sledgehammer. But then again, who was he to complain about how his girlfriend behaved?

"Well," said June, "now that we're all alone, there's something I've been meaning to ask you Danny, and I just want the two of us to be together when I say it."

"Sure thing," said Danny. "You've got my attention."

"Okay, here goes." The girl took in a deep breath while she mentally prepared herself for the next words to come out. Part of her being was determined to ask her question, but the other part was scared for what the answer would be. But she told herself that she had to respect Danny's decision no matter what it was. "Danny, we've been going out together for a long time now. We've had our ups and downs but we've always made it through because I feel that there's a strong bond between us. So my question is… where do you see this relationship going?"

Danny was taken slightly aback by the question. He knew that June was the right girl for him after all the times they had spent together, but he frowned as he recalled that one time in his life when he grew attached to another and it did not work out as well as he thought it did. Looking deep into the girl's brown eyes, he had to tell her about how he truly felt but was afraid of how she would react. He also imagined how she must be feeling about his silence.

"Look, June," he said, "I really do like you a lot; in fact, I think that you are the perfect girl for me. It's just that… I really don't think that we should speed up this whole relationship process."

The only response that June gave was a slight nod. The answer was a bit shocking to her at first but she decided to hear him out. "I see. Well, would you mind telling me what happened?"

"About what?"

"Oh, come on, Danny. The look in your eyes clearly tells me that something bad happened to you. Any girl would've picked up on that."

The boy let out a short laugh. "Well, I guess there's no getting past you, is there?"

"So what happened?" asked June.

"I don't want to bore you with that."

"But it'll help me to understand why you're behaving like this, and I'm sure that it would make you feel better if you got it off your chest. So please, tell me because I want to make this relationship work."

Looking down at his shoes, Danny thought hard of that terrible experience. If June was going to be with him for the rest of his life, then he decided that it was time that he told her why he was so apprehensive. "Well, all right. It happened like this." Danny then told of his experience through a song.

"**Good"**

**As Made Famous by Better Than Ezra**

_Looking around the house_

_Hidden behind the window and the door_

_Searching for signs of life but there's nobody home_

June looked on with slight worry, feeling that Danny was pouring out his soul to her. But rather than interrupt him, she kept listening.

_Well, maybe I'm just too sure_

_Or maybe I'm just too frightened by the sound of it_

_Pieces of note fall down, but the letter said,_

_Aha, it was good living with you_

_Aha, it was good_

_Aha, it was good living with you_

_Aha, it was good_

_Good, good, good, good_

_Good, good…_

At that moment June covered her mouth when she let out a gasp. She understood what he was saying, and never had she ever thought that a past romance of Danny's had ended so unexpectedly.

_Sitting around the house_

_Watching the sun trace shadows on the floor_

_Searching for signs of life, but there's nobody home_

By that time, June slowly walked with her boyfriend through the park while staying close to him. She could feel tears stinging her eyes so she quickly wiped them away so that Danny would not have to stop and worry about her. All that was important, she thought, was that Danny kept explaining what happened so she could have a better understanding.

_Well, maybe I'll call or write you a letter_

_Now, maybe we'll see on the Fourth of July_

_But I'm not too sure, and I'm not too proud_

_Well, I'm not too sure and I'm not too proud to say,_

_Aha, it was good living with you_

_Aha, it was good_

_Aha, it was good living with you_

_Aha, it was good_

_Oh, so good_

June was now starting to regret ever having asked Danny her question, because she should have figured that Danny would've told her when he was ready. Now, she was going to dedicate herself to being the best thing that ever happened to Danny, especially from hearing about what happened in his past.

_Aha, it was good living with you_

_Aha, it was good_

_Aha, it was good living with you_

_Aha, it was good_

_Yeah, you were so good_

_Yeah, you were so good_

The song ended just as Danny and June approached one of the park's exits. After hearing her boyfriend reveal his feelings, the girl touched him on the shoulders and looked lovingly into his eyes. "Danny," she said, "I'm so sorry that I forced this question on you. I had no idea that something so tragic happened to you so long ago."

"Don't feel bad," said the boy. "But you were right: I do feel better now that I've told you. And, well, part of me said that I should tell you, so I guess it all worked out."

"Well, I never meant to pressure you in any way. You can tell me how you really feel when you're ready."

Danny smiled after hearing that his girl would give him the chance to work through the relationship at a pace which made him comfortable. But then there was another task on his mind; one he knew had to be done before he could take another step with the girl he loved.

"Thanks, June," he said, "but right now I think we need to worry about saving our city from Azula's clutches."

"You're right," said June. "But there's no way we can do it by ourselves. We'll need to find our friends first."

With the two nodding in unison, they set out into the streets to find their friends, knowing that they would have plenty of time to work out their relationship when their home was once again safe.

* * *

><p>Elsewhere in Toon City, the streets were glowing just as the sun was setting to cast everything with a light of bright orange. Down one street was where it seemed peaceful enough for someone to walk with no signs of Azula's new henchmen patrolling as what many have considered a custom—and it was here that one person dared to walk alone, not fearing what might come.<p>

The person was a fourteen-year-old girl who possessed chocolate brown skin and was dressed in a blue and yellow suit, which complemented her amber-coloured eyes and her midnight blue hair held up by a yellow hair band. Her arms were covered with long blue gloves that only covered her middle and index fingers, and a blue choker around her neck held a light blue crystal that dangled from the middle.

The girl stopped only for a second just as she heard what sounded to be metal clanging on the street and figured that someone had knocked over a trash can. She had been told by her friends to wait in this area but felt that it was unnerving to wait somewhere that seemed as desolate as this, especially since there was the possibility of running into Azula's goons. Without thinking clearly she ducked into an alley to get out of the light and hopefully find solace amongst the shadows.

Slowing her pace and wiping the sweat from her brow, the girl sighed in relief as she figured that she would be safe. "Good thinking, Piper," she told herself sarcastically. "The others will easily find you if you wait in a dark alley." She then took a moment to think. "Then again, it's better than having to face against some of those Arkham City creeps."

"Hey, girlie!" said another voice.

The call was so unexpected that she almost felt like her skeleton was going to jump out of her skin. Piper looked in the alley to see several figures move toward her. Through the darkness she could make out their appearances: it was a group of men who either wore grey hoodies or purple tank tops, but each of them had clown makeup over their faces. These men were the former henchmen of the Joker.

As Piper looked around, she was terrified to see that she was all alone against the group of thugs who revolved around her like a shark circling its prey. But she was also repulsed by their appearances and could also swear that they smelled like they hadn't bathed in weeks. She didn't know what she was going to do: either stand her ground or pass out from the rank odour.

The thugs then decided to taunt her. "Well, well, well. Look what we have here. A little girl's lost her way and she doesn't know what to do."

"Don't worry, girlie. We'll take good care of ya, if you'll do what we tell ya to."

Piper was enraged by the statement. It was one thing to be bossed around by Azula, but having to do what common thugs said was where she drew the line. "Dream on, losers!" she said. "I'd rather eat out of a dumpster than waste my time entertaining you."

The men then shook their heads disappointingly at what the girl told them. They were given the authority by their new boss to do whatever they wanted to the citizens and they felt like they were being denied that right. But now they were going to show her who was really in charge.

"Very poor choice o' words," said one thug, "'cause you've just given me an idea of what we should do with ya!" He then faced his fellow thugs and pointed to Piper as he gave an order. "Let's get 'er, boys!"

The other men all got around Piper and quickly cut off her escape. Looking around, Piper could feel her throat tighten up as her stress had risen like she was about to fall off a cliff. She felt so scared that she even forgot that she could fight back, but she could still use her cleverness to throw the men off guard.

"I'm warning you!" said Piper. "I have a friend who knows I'm here, and he's not gonna like it when he sees me being surrounded by you."

"Oh, right!" laughed the first thug. "So where is your 'knight in shining armour'?"

"Right here!" said another voice.

Everyone in the alley turned to see who introduced himself. The thugs were confused by the voice but Piper already knew who it was. There they saw a fourteen-year-old boy with unruly red hair and green eyes dressed in a red and blue suit, brown boots and brown gloves with black fingers. Around his body were various pieces of silvery armour with the left shoulder plate containing a blue insignia of a hawk spreading out its wings, and the same insignia was also shaped into metal on his back where he kept his two daggers.

Standing next to the boy was a small creature that appeared to be a hybrid between a blue-furred, purple-skinned hybrid between a monkey and a weasel with long, rabbit-like ears and a bushy tail. Over his fur he was clothed in a blue and purple suit that had a silver emblem with the same hawk insignia as his friend. Getting a good look at the man had made him narrow his brown eyes in anger and growl while he bore his sharp teeth.

"Who the hell are you?" said a thug.

"The name's Aerrow, of the Storm Hawks!" replied the boy. "And I don't much care for what you intend to do to my friend."

"I don't care if you're the Dalai Llama! If you get in our way, you're goin' down! Get 'em!" The other thugs all rushed the boy with the intent of causing intense pain.

Piper merely smirked and shook her head. "You'll be sorry!" she warned.

The boy looked down at his furry cohort, not even having respect for the men advancing on him. "Well, Radarr, it looks like we need to teach these guys how to treat a lady."

The little guy known as Radarr gave out a chirp and gave his friend a thumbs up to show that he thought it was a good idea.

Aerrow knew that he was doing this for Piper, but he was also going to show that he was not going to take any more abuse from Azula's absurd ruling. He stepped into the alley while he broke out into a song.

"**Buddy Holly"**

**As Made Famous by Weezer**

_What's with these homies, dissing my girl?_

_Why do they gotta front?_

As Aerrow stepped closer, two thugs got in between him and tried to rush him but he intercepted both attacks by landing a backhanded fist into each of their faces, knocking them to the ground.

_What did we ever do to these guys_

_That made them so violent?_

Another man tried to attack the boy Sky Knight, but Radarr ended up getting under his legs and tripped him, allowing Aerrow to jump and kick the man in his ribs to send him crashing into the adjacent wall.

_Woo-hoo, but you know I'm yours_

The strength displayed by Aerrow suddenly gave Piper the will to fight back, and so she spun around and kicked the nearest thug in the face that sent him sprawling into another one of his buddies.

_Woo-hoo, and I know you're mine_

Although they were outnumbered, the three friends knew that the men were no match for them due to their years of combat training—and knowing that they were fighting alongside each other gave them more encouragement.

_Woo-hoo, and that's for all time_

Aerrow then took the offensive by flipping over one man's head and landing right behind him where he bashed his knee in the thug's back, sending him spiralling to the ground while stars spun around his head.

_Oo-ee-oo I look just like Buddy Holly_

_Oh-oh, and you're Mary Tyler Moore_

_I don't care what they say about us anyway_

_I don't care 'bout that_

"Don't them 'em hit you, you idiots!" said one of the men. He then picked up a copper pipe and beat it against his open palm while the trio was distracted.

Piper looked lovingly into Aerrow's green eyes while they continued to do battle. "Aerrow, I'm so glad you came for me."

"Think nothing of it," said the boy. "There's nothing I wouldn't do for you." Just then, a wooden crate went flying at his head but Aerrow's superior agility allowed him to catch the crate and send it back at the thug who threw it, where it splinted to pieces before taking him down.

_Don't you ever fear, I'm always near_

_I know that you need help_

Radarr joined in the fight by running along the top of a dumpster and landing on one man's head to cover his eyes. Groaning and thrashing around his arms, the man tried to get the little guy off him while stumbling around. Radarr took enjoyment in it until he was forced to jump off when the thug had ran into a wall, making him cry in pain and fall to the ground on his back.

_Your tongue is twisted, your eyes are slit_

_You need a guardian_

Aerrow and Piper this time looked at each other while not paying attention to the fight. It was then that they both widened their eyes in fear upon seeing that a thug was behind each of them. The two then nodded and ducked just as two fists came flying forward. Both men were then knocked to the floor while stars sparkled across their eyes when they endured the intense pain.

_Woo-hoo, and you know I'm yours_

_Woo-hoo, and I know you're mine_

_Woo-hoo, and that's for all time_

The two Storm Hawks then got a running start and jumped in the air to each land a flying kick into a thug they faced.

_Oo-ee-oo I look just like Buddy Holly_

_Oh-oh, and you're Mary Tyler Moore_

_I don't care what they say about us anyway_

_I don't care 'bout that_

_I don't care 'bout that_

"I've had just about enough o' this! Let's make sure they're lyin' bleedin' on the ground!" said the lead thug.

_Bang, bang a knock on the door_

_Another big bang and you're down on the floor_

Aerrow then applied a kick to a man's chest so hard that his boot went flying off and landed on the ground a few feet away.

_Oh no! What do we do?_

_Don't look now but I lost my shoe_

Piper saw that one man was trying to strike her down by swinging a pipe, but she managed to bring up her hands at the last second to counter the attack. The result was the pipe being slipped out of the man's grasp where she followed by swinging it into his face to knock him unconscious.

_I can't run and I can't kick_

_What's a matter babe are you feeling sick?_

_What's a matter, what's a matter, what's a matter you?_

_What's a matter babe, are you feeling blue? Oh-oh!_

The remaining thugs surrounded the Sky Knight and his crystal mage in the alley. Aerrow had gotten his missing boot back and placed it back on his foot but soon found out that it was the least of his troubles at the moment; all the henchmen circled around him and his friend to make escape impossible. It seemed that their only hope was to face them all head-on but the risk of being overwhelmed by the other thugs was too great.

"Aerrow, what do we do?" Piper said worriedly.

It was then that Aerrow looked up to see on the fire escape the last bit of help he knew was available. "Oh, I think we're in good hands."

_And that's for all time_

_And that's for all time_

Radarr saluted the boy from the fire escape and kicked the nearby ladder with his hind paw. Despite his size, Radarr's strength was enough to jostle the ladder loose so it slid down the fire escape and landed right on top of two thugs to knock them out. Seeing that their buddies were taken down made the other men look in worry, and it all changed when Aerrow and Piper ran in to apply swift punches to the rest of their foes.

_Oo-ee-oo I look just like Buddy Holly_

_Oh-oh, and you're Mary Tyler Moore_

One by one the rest of the henchmen fell to the constant attacks from the Storm Hawks just as Aerrow was done singing.

_I don't care what they say about us anyway_

_I don't care 'bout that_

_I don't care 'bout that_

_I don't care 'bout that_

_I don't care 'bout that_

The alleyway was now littered with the unconscious bodies of Azula's henchmen after having been constantly beaten and bruised from the combined efforts of the Storm Hawks' Sky Knight, crystal mage and co-pilot. Radarr jumped down from the fire escape and landed on Aerrow's shoulders to revel in the mayhem they had caused, and he could see that the others also enjoyed it, knowing it was well worth the risk of having been reported to Azula.

For Piper, she was more concerned of how Aerrow came to her rescue in her time of need. She never really noticed it before but her friend looked absolutely stunning from the way he stood proud and courageous. They were always traits that she liked about the boy, but it was the first time that she actually felt like they made him look even more handsome than he was before. Piper did not know why she told herself that and it made her cheeks change red just thinking about it.

"It's a good thing that we showed up when we did," said the red-haired teen. "Not that you couldn't handle yourself, of course."

"Yeah, sure…" Piper looked down, hoping that her bashfulness would easily be missed. "Um, it's still nice that you came. At least now we're together."

"Right. The others are waiting for us."

The trio was interrupted when footsteps were heard from the alley's entrance. Three others had come into view, and the Storm Hawks all saw they were familiar faces.

The first was a fourteen-year-old boy who, like Aerrow, was dressed in similar clothing with various armour pieces around his body, but his suit was coloured blue and yellow to match his spiky blonde hair and blue eyes.

Standing next to him was a fourteen-year-old rhinoceros humanoid called a Wallop, having grey hair and eyes. A suit covered in green, brown and blue patches was over his massive, thickly-skinned frame along with armour plates, and he walked with his bare hooved feet.

The last was the only adult of the entire group and it was an amphibian-like humanoid called a Merb with green skin, black, beady eyes set against yellow irises, and pointed ears that were almost elf-like in appearance with the left one having two silver hoop earrings. Wearing a brown suit with an X-shaped armour plate over his chest, the Merb walked through the alley while shivering with fright at the thought of catching any pathogens due to his paranoia.

"Whoa!" said the blonde-haired boy named Finn when he saw the thugs all laying around. "Looks like you three had fun without us."

"It's great to see you guys," said Piper. "I was beginning to think that I'd never see you with everything that's been going down."

"C'mon, Piper. Did you really think a little crisis like this would break us apart? Give us more credit than that."

"Really?" said the Wallop. "I'm sure that you panicked when you found out that Toon City was taken over."

Finn smacked a hand over his face when his friend inadvertently humiliated him. "Junko, you've really gotta work on your timing."

Aerrow looked at the Merb to find out what was happening. "Stork, have you gotten in touch with our other friends?"

"Nuh-uh," replied the Merb. "We've had just about a snowball's chance in Hell of trying to find the others, which, by all counts, is what's to be expected from your home being taken over by some crazy girl."

"Well, we can't give up. They're out there somewhere and they've probably got the same idea on our minds: to free our city from tyranny. Now, let's get out there and find them."

The Storm Hawks all nodded in determination when their goal had been set, and so they left the alley while Azula's henchmen lied groaning on the ground from the injuries they suffered.

Not long after the Sky Knight squadron was gone, someone came out from the alley's far end. Slow footsteps echoed until they finally stopped. The shadows had concealed the identity of the stranger, except for one white boot. The figure looked around with wide green eyes at what she witnessed. Never before had there been so many of Azula's hired men been taken down by such a group with remarkable characteristics, which was something that the stranger sought in order to complete the most important mission of all time.

A few seconds later, the stranger lifted her arm and spoke into the communicator on her wrist. "Chief," she said, "I think I've found them."

* * *

><p>BlueTiger321: Wow! Now things are starting to get interesting.<p>

Danny: I'll say. Who was that stranger in the alley?

June: What's to come of me and Danny?

Piper: And why hasn't Aerrow noticed me?

BlueTiger321: Um, aren't I supposed to say all that stuff?

Danny: Oh, sorry. We were just caught up in the moment. =P

BlueTiger321: Anyway, folks, stay tuned when our heroes finally meet up with each other and confront their destiny. So, until next time…

Aerrow: Read and review!


	4. Chapter 3: The Cavalry

Chapter 3: The Cavalry

BlueTiger321: So, now it seems our heroes definitely have their work cut out for them. And I should let all of you know right now that I probably won't be updating this story as much as I used to with my others because I've got a lot of stuff to work out right now; one of them having just starting _Mass Effect 3_. So, let's find out what's happening next.

* * *

><p>Right in the heart of Toon City was the old City Hall, and it was the office of the one in power. Its large, white structure styled like the buildings in Ancient Greece stood proudly against the black skyscrapers as if it were a dot on a domino. The other difference being that it was the only building in the entire city that was left entirely intact without a single flaw on its surface, unlike the other buildings that had all been thoroughly marred by the rampant chaos from the old prisoners. It was during this time that the city's ruler was discussing her next plot.<p>

Azula sat inside her office, leaning back in her large chair while behind her desk. Right behind the girl were rows of books all stacked neatly in place while a mural of herself inside a golden frame hung on the walls that also covered a large burn mark. Azula was the only one to know that the city's old ruler had a mural just like hers in this office and she had to remove any trace of it to know that she was in control, for as far as she was concerned the past meant nothing. She looked out her window and saw that the sun had set and cast darkness throughout her city, thinking that it would be the perfect time to devise what she had in store for her civilians.

A knock came at her door, causing her to look away and give her attention to whoever it was. "Enter," she said.

Hearing the command, the door was swung open and revealed Zuko. The boy approached his sister and stopped before the desk to give his report. "I've checked every corner of the city, and it appears that your unexpected appearance was a success. Nearly every person believed what you had to say."

Azula pursed her lips into a wicked smile. The first phase of her plan was complete and she was showing her satisfaction. "Excellent," she said before standing up and circling her office. "I knew that those filthy wretches would hang on to every word I had to say. It just proves my point that they're nothing but mindless sheep. And like all sheep, they will be lead to the slaughter."

Zuko was expressionless at the remark, for he remained iron-willed to serve his sister like the leader she knew she was. "I've also received word from the TYGER operatives; they are carrying out the next phase as we speak and should be finished within two days."

Stopping in her tracks and looking out the window, Azula's grin grew wider. "Good work, Zuko. It seems that I was wrong about you. I thought that I had lost you to those pathetic worms you used to call your friends a long time ago. But I see now that when it comes to family, you really are loyal."

Zuko bowed in admiration to the comment. "Thank you, sister," he said. "I'm just doing what I can for you."

The girl was about to say something else when the phone on her desk began to rang. Azula walked over and narrowed her eyes angrily while she thought that whoever was calling had better have a good reason for the interruption. She leaned over the desk and pushed the button for the speaker before standing upright.

"What is it?" said Azula.

_"This is TYGER Team One, Master,"_ said the caller. _"We've received a report that a group of the inmates have been assaulted by two people and some weird-looking animal. They were last seen leaving with others whom we can assume are working together with them."_

Zuko looked wide-eyed after hearing the call. There were only a handful of people in the city who were willing to stand up to Azula's forces, and judging from the descriptions he knew exactly who they were. _I knew they would get involved_, he thought. Without showing his emotions, Zuko turned his head to avoid his sister's gaze.

"So," said Azula, "it seems we have a little revolt going on. I knew that it was going to happen eventually, and now they're going to find out that I won't take it lightly." Leaning in to the phone's speaker, she pursed her lips to show she was about to enjoy what she was going to say next. "Tell the inmates to be on the lookout for them and beat some sense into them when they do, as well as for anyone else who is stupid enough to get in their way."

_"Yes, Ma'am!"_ said the TYGER operative. The call then ended on the other line once the order was given.

Azula walked towards the door and passed her brother. "Come, Zuko," she said. "We have much to do and so little time to do it."

Zuko stared out at the hallway before exiting the room and closing the door. While keeping an emotionless face, he secretly hoped that the ones who were about to face off against the extent of Azula's wrath would remain cautious and persevere.

* * *

><p>As darkness fell over Toon City, the civilians began to wander back to their homes with the thought of Azula's speech still fresh in their minds. It sounded so convincing to them that it was believable, so they had accepted her ruling into their lifestyles as though it were meant to be. Now instead of trying to reclaim what they lost, they were going to stick with the idea that their new ruler was going to be the best they ever had.<p>

But not all were happy with the outcome. Coming down a long street were Aang, Sokka, Katara and Toph. Their earlier attempt at a coup d'état was an utter failure and they felt as bad as they ought to be. What was even more disappointing was that they witnessed their old friend, Zuko, being part of Azula's regime. It had to be the worst day for them to see everything going from bad to worse.

The group eventually got tired of walking so they all settled down on a nearby bench in front of a patch of dying flowers. In their current mood they felt like nothing could ever lift their spirits, because they all acted like they had finally hit the lowest point: losing their home, losing the support of the people, and losing their friend.

"This can't be happening," said Katara. "How could it spiral out of control like this?"

"I don't want to believe it either," said Aang, "but we have to face the facts: Azula's in power and Zuko is on her side. We all saw it with our own eyes."

"Well, maybe _you_ guys saw it with _your_ eyes," said Toph.

Sokka rolled his eyes at the correction made by the blind girl. "Toph, what Aang is saying is that…" He let out a sigh when he thought that it would be pointless to explain it. "Oh, forget it. I'm even too moody to nitpick."

"It's hopeless," said Aang. "Azula has won. We might as well accept this change into our lives, since she's got everyone else believing it."

But then Katara had a realization. There was the possibility that Azula's message hadn't gotten to everyone, and she prayed that somewhere out there were the people she came to know were the ones who would not be swayed. "Wait a second! What about the others?" Katara was so sure that their other friends were not thinking the way that she and her friends were; they were trying to figure a way to save their home. "If I know them as well as I think I do, they haven't given up. We may have seen the darker side of things, but that doesn't mean they have. So let's go out there an—"

"What's the point?" shouted Sokka. "No matter what we try to do, Azula will probably find a way to stop it! So even if our other friends are still trying as best they can, it'll just be all for nothing!"

Katara looked worriedly at her brother. Never before had she seen him act so dejectedly by anything, and now she was starting to wonder if what she said was even worth trying. So she rested her head on her hands and resumed her gloominess.

"If the others are smart," said Sokka, "they'll give up before it gets too out of hand."

"Don't count on it!" said two voices in unison.

Aang and the others all perked up their heads when they recognized the voices, which came from two different directions. Shifting their eyes to the left and right they saw that the cries indeed came from their other friends. They sat still on the bench and watched them come into the light from down the dark streets. At first they were delighted to see familiar faces, but it did not do much to get them out of their funk as they were still too depressed.

"Am I glad that we're all back together," said Danny.

"No kidding," said June. "I really thought we weren't gonna see each other again."

"It's a good thing you were wrong," said Piper. "Now that we're all here, we can discuss how we're going to take back the city."

Aang stood up from the bench to address the others of his and the others' progress. "I don't think that's even going to be possible. Azula has gotten everyone else hanging on to her every word."

"Well, that's to be expected," said Finn. "She's still the manipulative bitch that she always was."

Junko gave a quizzical glance to Aang and the others as the rest stood up from the bench. He counted them off but then realized that one of them was not present. "Hey, where's Zuko?" he asked.

"You mean Zuko the traitor?" said Toph.

The others were taken aback by the statement. None of them could figure out why the girl would say something so slanderous about their friend.

"What do you mean?" asked Danny.

"We all witnessed it," replied Sokka. "Zuko is now working for Azula. He practically worshipped the damn ground she walked on as she delivered her asinine speech."

"It's true," added Katara. "I really thought that Zuko had changed when he became our friend, but now it seems he's once again allowing someone to create his own destiny."

Stork dropped his shoulders, even more so than he usually did when he was depressed. "Well, that's just perfect! What chance have we got at defeating Azula if one of our own has joined her side? I know that I say this a lot, but now I can say for sure that we are doomed."

Aerrow looked around and saw that his friends were now sharing in Aang's misery over the recent events. But still, he would never waver from his mission, especially not with so many people who suffered at the hands of Azula. Now he was wondering how he was going to make his friends see that they could never give up.

"You guys," said the Sky Knight, "I know that things are pretty bleak right now, but we have to see this through to the end. If we back down now, then it means that Azula wins and the millions of people who are depending on us will be let down. This might be the most inopportune time to say it, but we have to keep going. But if you want to call it quits right now, then be my guest."

It was then that Aerrow broke out into song to motivate the others.

"**Move Along"**

**As Made Famous by The All-American Rejects**

_Go ahead as you waste your days with thinking_

_When you fall everyone stands_

The others all brought up their heads to Aerrow like he had gone insane. They thought that even someone like him with his optimistic view would be broken. Now they were wondering if he was all right by the way he was behaving.

_Another day and you've had your fill of sinking_

_With the life held in your_

_Hands are shaking cold_

_These hands are meant to hold_

By then Aerrow walked down the street while the others followed him and decided to humour him for the message he was trying to convey.

_Speak to me, when all you got to keep is strong_

_Move along, move along like I know you do_

_And even when your hope is gone_

_Move along, move along just to make it through_

_Move along_

_Move along_

Piper then spoke up during the pause. "But Aerrow, I absolutely think this is hopeless. There's no way we can make it through something like this."

The red-haired teen stopped to look back at the girl and saw that all the others were nodding their heads in agreement; all except Radarr. Aerrow was glad to see that at least one of his friends had managed to see what he was trying to say, so the little guy joined his friend by jumping onto his shoulders.

"Well, a long time ago," said Aerrow, "there were times when I thought things were hopeless, but then some people I knew convinced me otherwise. And I'm staring right at them."

Aerrow's friends felt touched by the compliment about them, but they still were not persuaded by his message. Seeing this had made the Sky Knight continue his song while walking down the street until he stopped before an empty intersection.

_So a day when you've lost yourself completely_

_Could be a night when your life ends_

The others all stopped and stared at them. Somehow, they all thought, the words they heard from Aerrow were making sense to them. They were now showing on their faces that their spirits were being lifted.

_Such a heart that will lead you to deceiving_

_All the pain held in your_

_Hands are shaking cold_

_Your hands are mine to hold_

Everyone watched as their friend set Radarr down and then leapt and spiralled into the air before landing on his feet. It was an awesome feat to behold and thought it awkward but then they all saw it was his way of showing that he was not going to let anyone bring him down.

_Speak to me, when all you got to keep is strong_

_Move along, move along like I know you do_

_And even when your hope is gone_

_Move along, move along just to make it through_

_Move along_

Now the boy Sky Knight was punching and kicking at empty space like he would any enemy he faced, as though he was fighting against everything that represented Azula's tyranny.

_(Go on, go on, go on, go on)_

_When everything is wrong, we move along_

_(Go on, go on, go on, go on)_

_When everything is wrong, we move along_

By now the others were smiling as they understood now that Aerrow was telling them never to give up even when you have such little hope. And if Aerrow was going to be strong for them, then they should be strong for Aerrow.

_Along, along, along_

"I think Aerrow has the right idea," said Danny. "We can't just give up like that. Somebody has to stand up to Azula, so it might as well be us!"

"You're right," agreed June. "We have to fight for a brighter future. The road may be hard but we have each other for support every step of the way."

"That's good to hear," said Aerrow, "but I've still got a song to sing." He then resumed his song while the others paid close attention.

_When all you got to keep is strong_

_Move along, move along like I know you do_

_And even when your hope is gone_

_Move along, move along just to make it through_

One by one Aerrow's friends stood beside him while he raised his hands to the sky, which they knew was a symbol that they would support him in the mission to restore Toon City.

_When all you got to keep is strong_

_Move along, move along like I know you do_

_And even when your hope is gone_

_Move along, move along just to make it through_

The group of friends then walked down the street while Aerrow continued his song as it motivated them like the fire burning for a locomotive.

_When all you got to keep is strong_

_Move along, move along like I know you do (know you do)_

_And even when your hope is gone_

_Move along, move along just to make it through_

Sokka turned to his sister while they continued walking down the street. "Azula better watch out, 'cause she's got us to deal with!"

"I know," replied Katara. "As long as we move along, nothing can stand against us."

It was then that the song was nearing its conclusion.

_(Go on, go on, go on, go on)_

_Right back what is wrong_

_We move along_

_(Go on, go on, go on, go on)_

_Right back what is wrong_

_We move along_

The group stopped when the song was over and they could no longer contain how confident they felt in knowing that they would get their city back to the way it was before Azula took over.

"So, guys," said Aerrow, "now whaddaya say? Do you feel like taking down Azula and getting back the city we all know and love?"

"You don't have to tell me twice!" replied Aang. "I may have had my doubts before, but now I see that we just have to keep going on if it seems blue." As if on response, the others nodded their heads to show they were supporting what the Avatar said but they were also supporting Aerrow's ideals.

"Well, then, let's get to it!" The red-haired teen threw his fist into the air and the others followed afterward as they all cheered at the top of their lungs.

Piper brought her head down at Aerrow when she saw how his motivational speech had won over their friends. A slight blush came over her cheeks while she thought about how great her friend was at being the leader he was meant to be. All of a sudden, she decided that she had to ask him something.

"Um, Aerrow?" said the girl.

"Yes, Piper?" said the boy.

"Listen, I, uh—"

"Found ya!" shouted another voice.

The others all glanced down the street to see two men slowly approach them with angered expressions on their faces. The reason why they walked so slowly was because their bodies were covered with bruises like they had taken a furious thrashing from earlier. Judging from their clown makeup and purple-coloured clothing, the group deduced that they were some of Joker's former henchmen.

"Whoa! You guys look like crap!" said Sokka. "You must've picked a fight with the wrong people."

"Shut up, kid!" said the first man. "We've got orders from the boss lady to take down a bunch o' damn kids on account o' them breakin' the rules. If the rest of youse are with 'em, then we're takin' you down, too!"

"And we're also gettin' payback for what that red-haired kid and his girlie friend did to us!" said the other man. "So get ready!"

After hearing the statement from the henchmen, the others all looked at Aerrow and Piper as they knew the boy was the only one of the group with red hair and the girl was the closest one to him. Now they were half-expecting an explanation from their friends as to what they had managed to do to make Azula's goons for infuriated.

Piper sheepishly laughed and then said, "Well, we kinda ran into those thugs before meeting up with you guys, so I guess now they're looking at us like we've got a bounty on our heads." Secretly she was furious that she never got to finish the conversation with Aerrow so she would have to do it later.

"I guess they did pick a fight with the wrong people," said June.

"Well now they've got the rest of us to deal with!" said Aang.

The others all got into battle-ready stances while they prepared themselves for a rumble with the former inmates. It would be the first test they had to pass in order to show Azula that united they were unstoppable.

"I promise that we're not going to make it easy for you!" said Aerrow.

The first henchmen smirked and turned his back as he whistled over to the other side of the street. The call then brought forth twenty more of Joker's former henchmen, with one of them including a large, muscular man dressed in orange pants and linen strips on his feet sporting the same clown makeup along with green hair down the sides of his head. Tattooed over his chest was an image of Moscow's St. Basil's Cathedral along with the hammer and sickle of the Soviet Union flag and a word in Russian over his stomach. What was truly terrifying about him was that his left arm was gone (or rather it never existed) and on his left side was a large stitch that ran down to his waist, and he carried with him in his right arm a sledgehammer, giving him the nickname Mr. Hammer of the Abramovici Twins.

The group all stared horrified by the large group of thugs they had to face, especially from seeing Mr. Hammer tower over them like he was a giant.

"Is it too late to beg them for mercy?" said Stork.

Mr. Hammer raised his weapon and spoke in a thick Russian accent, saying, "Now I will crush you!" He then grunted with fury as he jumped into the air and swung his sledgehammer down with the intent of hitting the targets ordered by his master.

The group of friends stood their ground as they waited for the right moment to strike back, but suddenly a pink laser came out of nowhere and struck Mr. Hammer in the chest, causing him to scream in pain as it knocked him out in mid-jump and made him fall to the ground.

Everyone else looked on in confusion by the mysterious blast and who had fired it.

"What the hell was that?" said another henchman.

A figure then leapt from behind the group of friends and out into the street for all to see. They all saw that it was a female anthropomorphic cat who had a slender figure and was covered with tan-coloured fur and had large green eyes and black hair held by a white headband. Like any other human she was dressed in clothes, which were a white shirt covered by a navy blue jacket and pants that had enough space to let her tail out, and white gloves and boots. Everyone could see that she held a laser gun in her right hand, which indicated that she fired the blast.

"Who are you?" said Aerrow.

Turning her head to the group, the cat-woman returned her gun within her clothing and bowed before them. "The name's Kitty Katswell," she replied, "and I'm here to help you in the name of the Turbo Undercover Fighting Force."

"Whoa! A talking cat?" said Finn. "Now that's pretty cool!"

Katara narrowed her eyes at Finn for his ridiculous comment. "Really? _That_'s what you have to say about her?"

By that time Mr. Hammer had recovered from the earlier attack and was now looking infuriated at Kitty for her intervention. "You'll pay for that!" he shouted.

Kitty turned her attention back to Mr. Hammer and rolled her eyes in amusement. "Only you against me? This won't be much of a fight." She then decided to taunt the man further by showing her lack of respect for him through song.

"**Hit Me With Your Best Shot"**

**As Made Famous by Pat Benatar**

Mr. Hammer grunted at the cat-woman and ran in swinging his sledgehammer wildly to hit her. But Kitty used her superior agility to easily leap over the man's head to avoid the attack and then twisted her body around to kick him in the back of the head. Mr. Hammer managed to stay standing but still stumbled around in confusion.

_Well you're the real tough cookie with the long history_

_Of breaking little hearts, like the one in me_

Again Mr. Hammer tried to strike down Kitty but she dodged out of the way and countered by extending her claws and scratching his legs that caused him to kneel down.

The others were stunned by the display of Kitty Katswell but then realized that they had the rest of Azula's henchmen to face, so they let the cat-woman contend with her foe.

_That's OK, let's see how you do it_

_Put up your dukes, let's get down to it_

While he was kneeling, Mr. Hammer swung at Kitty's legs in an attempt to incapacitate her. But her sharp senses allowed her to see the incoming attack and so she jumped and came down with her fists extended. Kitty then sent a flurry of punches across the man's body and made him shout in pain while he was left defenseless.

_Hit me with your best shot_

_Why don't you hit me with your best shot?_

_Hit me with your best shot_

_Fire away_

"Whoever this cat lady is, I'm glad she's on our side!" said Danny. He then concentrated hard as two white rings appeared from his abdomen that travelled up and down his body and changed his clothes into a black suit that had a white D on the chest along with white gloves and boots, his hair into a ghostly white, and his eyes a glowing green. The boy had transformed into his ghost persona known as Danny Phantom.

The others all joined in the clash against Azula's men while Kitty continued her song in her fight against Mr. Hammer.

_You come on with a "come on", you don't fight fair_

_But that's OK, see if I care_

Mr. Hammer stood up after the assault and swung his sledgehammer horizontally, but Kitty once again proved the better fighter by ducking under each swing while trying to pinpoint the right spot to strike.

"Stand still, bitch!" Mr. Hammer shouted furiously.

_Knock me down, it's all in vain_

_I'll get right back on my feet again_

It was now Kitty's turn to take the offensive, and so she timed the swing from her enemy perfectly and grabbed the hammer.

_Hit me with your best shot_

_Why don't you hit me with your best shot?_

This, in turn, left Mr. Hammer stunned by the sudden display of physical prowess as he was pulled over by Kitty. Balling back another fist, Kitty punched hard in the man's jaw, sending him a few feet away into a parked car where he smashed into the passenger's side door to bend the metal and shatter the window.

"That's gotta hurt!" said Sokka upon seeing the fight between Kitty and Mr. Hammer.

_Hit me with your best shot_

_Fire away_

The Storm Hawks all rushed in to a bunch of Azula's goons without their weapons drawn, knowing that it would not be sporting to fight unarmed opponents. Due to their long time of fighting together as a Sky Knight squadron, they were able to dodge the attacks drawn to them and counter with punches and kicks of their own. Junko's hits, due to his massive strength, were so powerful that he managed to send each henchman several feet away and left them unconscious instantaneously. The ones that were still groaning were finished off by Stork who came in and sprayed them with an aerosol that fumed a green mist that made the men faint from the acrid smell.

Aang's group was next. The Avatar went first by using his Airbending to send a powerful gust of wind that carried away several men screaming. Katara then used her Waterbending to bring the water from within her carrier that she fashioned into a long whip, and she used it to grab one man's leg and slam him to the ground on his back where he felt like everything was spinning around him.

Meanwhile, Toph used her Earthbending to bring up a stone column in front of her just as three men advanced on her, and so she pushed out one time after another to send the column into circular fragments that hit each man in the stomach to knock them out.

Sokka was left and he tried his best to fight back without using a weapon as best he could, but the man he faced was nearly twice his size. The thug was about to kick him when the teenage boy finally had enough, so he took out the club from behind his back and used it smack the man in the face.

Danny and June paired up by using the boy's ability to fly and letting the girl soar through the air by her hands. When they were about to approach some of Azula's men, the boy let go and sent his girlfriend straight into them where she used her incredible strength as the Te Xuan Ze to instantly flatten them.

Kitty was amazed at how well the others were fighting and was thankful that she got to them in time. It was then she noticed that Mr. Hammer stood up after the pummeling he took, so she faced him again while continuing her song.

_Well, you're the real tough cookie with the long history_

_Of breaking little hearts, like the one in me_

_Before I put another notch in my lipstick case_

_You better make sure you put me in my place_

Mr. Hammer finally had enough with the cat-woman always beating him down, so he yelled and came charging in while madly swinging his sledgehammer in front of him.

_Hit me with your best shot_

_Come on, hit me with your best shot_

_Hit me with your best shot_

_Fire away_

Kitty was getting close to the man just as three more of his comrades joined him. Just as the cat-woman was about to make her move, a blue energy pulse struck Mr. Hammer from behind to jolt him with lightning and caused him to swirl around with his sledgehammer extended, knocking out the other henchmen.

With a perplexed look on her face, Kitty saw that Aerrow had saluted her with one of his daggers ignited, which meant he fired the shot on Mr. Hammer. Kitty saluted back to the red-haired teen and faced off against her adversary.

_Hit me with your best shot_

_Why don't you hit me with your best shot?_

_Hit me with your best shot_

_Fire away_

The song had ended just as Kitty furiously punched Mr. Hammer with rapid succession while he was still dazed. Another punch into the man's abdomen had forced him to crouch, which left a wide opening for Kitty, so she leapt onto the man's back and came down hard with both feet onto his head that pushed him down face-first onto the sidewalk. Mr. Hammer had finally been defeated.

It was then that the others had all finished their battles against Azula's men and joined Kitty on the sidewalk where she tightened her gloves after her victory.

"Thanks for your help," said Aerrow.

"Seriously," said Piper. "You sure showed up at the most opportune time."

"You can save the thanks for later," said Kitty. Her look was so serious that the others swore that she was about to tell them something that was important. "Right now I need all of you to come with me."

"Come with you? Where?" said Danny.

"I really don't have the time to explain it now. When we get to where we need to go, then we'll talk."

The others all contemplated the cat-woman's request. They still had no idea why she had come to their aid or what she was trying to tell them, but they all realized that she had the same goal as them: stopping Azula.

"If she's willing to beat the snot out of Azula's men, I'd say she's worth following," said Toph. "Besides, I could tell that she's telling the truth."

"Then it's decided," said Aerrow. His gaze was turned to Kitty to tell her what they were going to do. "Ms. Katswell, lead the way."

"Good. Now, let's get out of here before more of Azula's grunts show up." Kitty then ran down the street with the others in close pursuit.

Although they still had no clue what was going on, the group of friends knew that it would have some connection to saving the city.

* * *

><p>BlueTiger321: Holy crap! Now that was an awesome fight!<p>

Kitty: Meh. If you've been in as many as I have, they're not really that special.

BlueTiger321: Do you really have to suck the fun out of everything?

Kitty: Hey! I can be fun, too!

BlueTiger321: Sure, you can. Anyway, folks, our heroes are about to get themselves into a much grander scheme in the next chapter, so please stay tuned. Until next time…

Kitty: Read and review!


	5. Chapter 4: Secret Service

Chapter 4: Secret Service

BlueTiger321: *gasps* Can it be? Yes, I've finally uploaded the next chapter! Sorry that it took so long but I've been swamped with many things as of late. But, I digress. Here is the next chapter for you all to read. Enjoy!

* * *

><p>The group wandered aimlessly through the dark streets of Toon City while staying close behind their unexpected saviour, Kitty Katswell. The cat-woman's help was appreciated and each of them knew they would have had a tougher battle had she not intervened to take down the one-armed giant. But now their minds were racing through other questions: Who was this woman? Why did she help them? What's her connection to them and the fate of Toon City? Rather than dwell on the questions, they all individually thought it would be best that they would get their answers when they meet their destination, wherever it would be.<p>

Eventually the group had arrived at a dilapidated building on the side of Penny Lane. The structure of the building remained sound, but the exterior was covered with thick ivy, the windows had all been broken, the grass all around the front lawn was dead, and most of the shingles on the roof had fallen off and ended up on the ground. The only thing that seemed to remain intact was the building's address number, which was 2112 in brass right over the front door.

The group of friends all eyed the building with great disdain, and they were even more shocked to see that Kitty was walking up the front steps and entering the building to make the door's rusted hinges squeak as they were forcefully moved. They were now wondering if it really was a good idea to follow this woman if she led them to such an awful place.

One by one they each stepped into the building, deciding that there was no other solution than to trust their newfound protector. Danny took a quick glance out to the street to make sure that they weren't being followed. When he felt secure, he switched back to his human form and joined the others inside.

The entire group walked inside to see that the building only consisted of one room. As they expected, the interior was just as big a mess as the outside with cobwebs sticking to every corner and a thick layer of dust covering every surface, including the hardwood floor. The only object inside the room was a single table with an old telephone with the cord having been cut at the middle. It didn't seem like much to Aerrow and his friends since they were half-expecting a residence to include much more stuff than what they saw.

Aang thought that it was time to get to the bottom of everything, so he walked up to Kitty and cleared his throat in order to get her attention. "So, exactly what's going on here?"

Feeling curious, Aerrow joined the conversation. "I'd like to know that, too," he said. "Why did you help us out there? And why did you bring us here?"

So many questions were coming at Kitty that she knew she would not have enough time to answer all of them. Instead she took a deep breath and looked at everyone with her beautifully-shaped eyes that glistened against the pale moonlight shining through a broken window. Before she could make the next step, she had to make sure that these people would be willing to follow her. "There'll be plenty of time for me to explain everything, but first I need all of you to promise me something. What I'm about to show you is something that each and every one of you must swear to _never_ reveal to anyone. If all of you are serious about saving our city, then it's why I've brought you here. But if you feel like fleeing from eventual pain and misery, then there's the door."

The others took that moment to think about what Kitty had told them, except for Stork who slowly slid his way to the door without a second thought but was stopped by Junko who grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him back. A sigh of distress escaped the Merb's lips when he felt trapped in the group and always not getting what he really wanted: to avoid pain and misery at all costs. But for the others, they wanted nothing more than to have their freedom back and to live their lives the way they want to in their own home without someone having to dictate how they should be lived. Stork had eventually caved to the other's ideals and sighed as he went along with what each of them were thinking to have freedom, even if it meant risking his neck.

"You can count me in," said Aerrow.

"Me too," added Piper.

"I'm not backing down now after making it this far," said Aang.

"We've already been branded by Azula, so we might as well see it through to the end," said Danny.

"If it means I'll get to kick some butt, then sign me up!" said June.

All the others nodded their heads to show they agreed to join the efforts, and Kitty smiled as she had gotten the answers she wanted. Without wasting another second, the cat-woman walked over to the phone sitting on the table while the group waited patiently for what she was about to do. She placed a finger over the circular dial and put in the code necessary to access what she needed. Out of respect for her privacy, the others all turned their heads to not see the number she had dialled.

Kitty then picked up the receiver, cleared her throat and then spoke into it. "Katswell, Kitty."

On the other end of the line, everyone could hear a sound as though a machine was busily processing a function. It then halted and out came a computerized voice. _"Voice recognition confirmed,"_ it said.

All of a sudden, the entire floor began to shake, causing everyone to look around puzzled as they all tried to keep their balance. Whatever Kitty had just done made them fearful for their lives.

"You see what happens?" said Stork. "Some strange lady we just met has now brought us to our doom! This never would've happened if any of you took my warnings seriously!"

But just as soon as the shaking had started, it stopped, and a feint light was shining through the floorboards. Kitty approached the light with a confident smile on her face as she waited for what she knew would happen next. Two sections of the floor then slid open by themselves and revealed a metal staircase leading down. The others all looked down with quiet awe when they saw the mysterious passage, and now they began to see why Kitty had to prove their allegiance to her cause.

"Come," said the cat-woman. "We can't risk letting anyone see this." Kitty had then walked down the staircase into the secret bunker.

Feeling that it was now their turn, the group slowly descended into the staircase. The room of the building was now empty and so the panels slowly closed up and sealed the passage to once again keep it a secret.

Everyone kept walking down the steps until they had come into a room where they saw was the source of the light, and Toph was especially grateful that the floor of the room was entirely made of metal and allowed her to see through her Earthbending. What everyone saw was a giant room filled with many anthropomorphic creatures much like Kitty, except they were a whole variety of other animals, and they all worked in an office-like space that was filled with high-tech equipment. The most impressive sight was the back wall having many different monitors that each had a different location of Toon City on screen, and right over them was a large sign that said _T.U.F.F. _in huge, bold letters.

"What is this place?" asked Katara.

Kitty smiled while she gave the answer. "You are now standing in the secret accessory location of the Turbo Undercover Fighting Force, or T.U.F.F. for short."

"Well," said Sokka, "it certainly is… impressive."

"And big," said Junko.

"But now back to the big question," said Aerrow. "Why did you bring us here?"

Kitty was about to answer the question when a loud voice was heard from across the room that shouted, "Kitty!"

Turning their eyes to the back, they all saw a white, anthropomorphic dog run on all fours with his big tongue wagging out of his mouth, like he was sticking his head out of a moving car. Unlike most dogs, this one had a well-built upper body and was dressed in a black T-shirt. As he ran his blue eyes were fixated on Kitty while he kept his short tail wagging like a metronome and his black ears flopping around wildly. The dog then leapt with incredible thrust and landed in front of Kitty where he hugged her and rubbed his head against her body in a lovingly way.

The others watched what was happening and thought it weird that a dog would act such a way to a cat and also thought it weird that the dog was much shorter than Kitty.

"Oh, Kitty!" said the dog. "I'm so glad you're back! With all the dangers happening in Toon City, I thought that you'd get hurt."

Kitty hugged the dog back and then purred slightly to ease the dog's troubles. "Dudley, you've gotta give me more credit than that. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself, so you shouldn't have to worry." It was then that Kitty noticed that an introduction was in order so she let go of her companion and faced the group. "Everyone, I'd like you to meet my partner, Dudley Puppy."

Dudley noticed the others as they all gave a wave to him, so he faced them with his chest held high like he was Superman. "Hi, there! Welcome to T.U.F.F. I'm sure you all have a lot of questions about this place, so don't hesitate to ask, 'cause I'm an expert."

The dog's response, in turn, made Kitty roll her eyes in annoyance.

"Well," said Aang, "it's not really a question about this place, but why aren't you wearing pants?"

"It's a question that's baffled all of us, so you're better off not finding out the answer," said Kitty.

"Whoa! More talking animals?" said Finn. "This day just keeps gettin' weirder and weirder."

Just then, another figure stepped into view, but it wasn't anything that the group of friends had predicted: it was a small platform with a wheel at its base connected to a monitor that stood at the top. From within the platform came a camcorder that pointed directly at the platform, and on the screen above was what appeared to be a flea dressed in a brown business suit. His pasty white skin made him seem old along with the liver spots on his face and his bushy eyebrows.

Both Kitty and Dudley turned in place to face the flea resting on the platform and saluted him, making the others all glance confusedly.

Stork, on the other hand, was shaking with fear upon seeing the small insect. "Do you know how many pathogens fleas carry? I better hide so he doesn't see me as easy prey."

But before Stork could move, he was once again held in place by Junko and forced to stay and find out what was about to happen.

"Chief, I've brought the group as instructed," said Kitty.

"Good work, Agent Katswell," the flea known as the Chief replied in a deep voice. "Now we can get underway."

Finn widened his eyes at the sight. Seeing a talking cat and dog was one thing, but seeing a talking flea was obviously too much. "Okay, seriously, what is with all the talking animals?"

The Chief looked at the group while they all stared at the monitor. "Oh, pardon me," he said. "I'm Chief Herbert Dumbrowski, leader of T.U.F.F. The reason why we've brought you here is so we can restore Toon City to its former glory."

"Well, we're flattered that you would choose us," said Aerrow, "but I've just gotta know why."

"Well, it's because we've been keeping a close eye on all of you. From the way you've handled yourselves against Azula's forces, we deduced that you would be perfect for the job."

"Wait a minute!" June said in a demanding tone. "You mean to say that you've been spying on us? That seems a little creepy to me."

Kitty nodded, agreeing with the girl's statement but then making her point. "Believe us; it was necessary in order to search for someone suitable for our mission."

"Creepiness aside," said Sokka, "I didn't think that anyone, other than us, would be willing to stand up to Azula. I mean, she has her ways of getting into other people's heads."

"Well, not ours!" replied the Chief. "T.U.F.F. is dedicated to protecting the innocent and stopping the bad guys one hundred percent! And we've got the help of our secret agents and our masterful technical genius to back it up." The Chief then darted his beady eyes around to look for the one he mentioned. "Speaking of which, where's Keswick?"

At that moment Toph perked up her head when she sensed that another individual was coming. "Is that him over there?" she said while pointing.

The others all turned to the direction and saw what appeared to be another anthropomorphic being. This one was a short, grey-furred creature with a long nose dressed in a lab coat along with a flannel shirt with a black tie, blue pants and brown shoes. Glasses sat neatly in front of his eyes and his hair was ruffled to add to his silly-looking appearance. Clutched in his hands was a small device that had a big red button in the centre.

"Oh, there you are, Keswick," said the Chief.

"Yes, Chief," the creature known as Keswick said. "I was bu-bu-bu-busy working on my latest invention, the Air Guitar-enabler! It's a device that forces anyone to pa-pa-play the air guitar."

The response that Keswick got from everyone was an odd stare.

"And that's useful to us how?" asked Dudley.

"Oh, well I just thought it would be good for playing jokes on someone." Keswick then gave a nerdy, little laugh at the idea. "Here, let me show you."

Keswick aimed the device at the closest target, which happened to be Finn. He pressed the button and fired a red laser that smothered Finn in its energy, causing the sharpshooter to yelp in surprise. When the laser vanished, Finn then felt the sudden urge to play air guitar while music mysteriously started to play.

"**The Metal"**

**As Made Famous by Tenacious D**

Everyone then took a step back while they all saw the blonde-haired boy act foolishly in front of them. Finn then started to sing along to the music.

_You can't kill the metal_

_The metal will live on_

_Punk rock tried to kill the metal_

_But they failed, as they were smite to the ground_

The others all had a good laugh while enjoying Finn's display, but most of them knew that Finn did not need to be enabled in order to look foolish; he mostly did it all on his own.

_New wave tried to kill the metal_

_But they failed, as they were stricken down to the ground_

_Grunge tried to kill the metal _

_Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha_

_They failed, as they were thrown to the ground_

_Aargh! Yeah!_

"Maybe we should put Finn in a show and charge people to see this," said Toph.

"Yeah, but who would pay to see it?" asked Piper.

"Good point."

_Aargh! Yeah!_

The others were enjoying it so much that most of them took out their smartphones and started recording Finn's air guitar. It might have seemed cruel, but there was no way that any of them were going to pass up this chance.

_No one can destroy the metal_

_The metal will strike you down with a vicious blow_

_We are the vanquished foes of the metal_

_We tried to win for why we do not know_

Aerrow then felt some sympathy for his friend. "Don't you think that we've let him suffer enough?"

"Maybe," said Dudley, "but do you really want it to stop right now?"

The red-haired boy understood the point and smiled while clutching his sides from the laughter. "Hell no!" he said.

Finn continued his foolish act while completely unaware of what he was doing.

_New wave tried to destroy the metal_

_But the metal had its way_

_Grunge then tried to dethrone the metal_

_But metal was in the way_

_Punk rock tried to destroy the metal_

_But metal was much too strong_

_Techno tried to defile the metal_

_But techno was proven wrong_

_Yeah!_

"Oh, this is so going up on YouTube!" said Danny.

_Metal!_

_It comes from hell!_

Keswick aimed his device at Finn once more and fired the laser. Upon hitting the marksman, he immediately stopped his air guitar and blinked in confusion as the laser subsided.

"What just happened?" asked Finn.

All the others laughed when it was over while Finn stood dumbfounded. Somehow, he thought, it involved him and he had no memory of what it was, but one thing he did know was that he probably shouldn't find out.

It soon quieted down, but Radarr couldn't help but let out a chirp to show that he thought it was still hilarious.

Dudley turned down to look at the furry co-pilot and said to him, "You're right. He did look like a total dork."

"You can say tha—" Aerrow then froze when he realized that his friend and the dog were conversing with each other, which stunned him since he knew that no one had ever figured out what Radarr had ever said. "Wait!" he said and turned to face Dudley. "You understood what Radarr said?"

"Yeah, we all could," replied Kitty. "We're animals, so we practically speak each other's language."

Katara smiled after hearing the explanation. "So now we can finally learn what Radarr is trying to tell us? That's something I've always wanted to find out."

The comment coming from the girl left the little guy turning away bashfully while the skin under his fur changed to a bright red. It made him feel good that at least one of his friends was curious to learn what he had to say.

"Now back to the matter at hand," said the Chief, as his monitor focused on the group of friends. "We intend to recruit you into our ranks so we can put a stop to Azula and take back our city. So whaddaya say?"

"Honestly," said Aang, "we've already made up our minds. Azula has no right to treat the people of Toon City like this and someone has to stand up to her. I think I can speak for everyone when I say that we would be honoured to join you in your cause."

By response, the others all joined the Avatar by nodded their heads with agreement. They were resolute in their goal and would stop at nothing to see it done. The T.U.F.F. agents then smiled after seeing that their endeavour did not go to waste, and they were all showing confidence that their mission was to succeed now that they had the group's support.

"Excellent!" said the Chief. "Now then, let's begin our first task. Keswick?"

The scientist adjusted his glasses and then produced a remote that lowered a screen from the ceiling. "We've received some intel that some of Azula's g-g-g-goons are bringing in supplies tonight at midnight to an abandoned warehouse." The screen then flickered to show a rundown warehouse at night via a satellite camera. "Unfortunately, we have no c-c-clue as to what those supplies are exactly."

"Seeing as how it involves Azula, it can't be good," said June.

"So what are we gonna do about it?" said Junko.

"All of you are to head down to that warehouse and stop them from receiving those supplies," replied the Chief. "We just might be able to deal a fatal blow and cripple her operation. So be ready to head out before midnight!" By his leave, the Chief ordered his platform to roll away back from where he came with Keswick following close behind him.

Dudley then looked at Kitty with a serious look. His previous thoughts about his partner getting hurt had returned, and he had to make sure that she meant what she already said. "Kitty," he said, "this may get ugly, so I want you to be safe out there."

"I told you before: I can handle myself," said Kitty. "But thank you for your concern. And since you'll be by my side, I know that I'll be safe."

Then, right in front of the group, the two leaned in and kissed each other on the lips to show their affection. It had made both Danny and Piper feel like they were missing out on so much: Danny for not already showing his true feelings for June, and Piper for not having the same thing with the only person she ever cared about and wondered if he felt the same way.

A few seconds had passed and Dudley and Kitty broke away and faced the group with the cat speaking first. "All right, team. We better get ready for our operation. Follow me." Kitty then walked towards a hall on the other side of the room to lead the others to the right area.

The group soon followed after the cat, but Danny stayed behind and thought about what he had just seen. The way that Dudley and Kitty seemed to love each other was how he wanted it to be between him and June, except his mixed emotions were blocking him from going any further in the relationship. But maybe, if there was some way that he could look past them, he could show June just how he truly felt, and somehow Dudley would be the key to it all.

While the others were heading out, Danny got behind the dog and lightly tapped him on the shoulder, forcing Dudley to turn around quickly and on instinct get into a crane fighting stance. This had made the halfa hold up his hands in defense.

"Dudley, calm down! It's me!" shouted Danny.

The dog saw that it was only one of his new teammates and so he relaxed his posture. "Oh, sorry," he said. "Y'know, you really shouldn't sneak up on a secret agent like that."

"Duly noted." Danny then relaxed his posture and faced Dudley with a serious glance. "Anyway, Dudley, there's something I need to ask you."

"Sure, what's up?"

Scratching the back of his neck, the ghost boy figured out the right words to say. "Well, after watching you with Kitty earlier, it made me realize that it's something I want with June. But the thing is… I'm afraid of what might happen because of something that happened to me a long time ago. I don't want to screw up this chance I have with June, and I was wondering if you could tell me how you and Kitty got together."

A tear then came to Dudley's eye that he wiped away. Hearing the reason was so beautiful to him for both two people wanting to be together and because of how he and Kitty were together. "Wow," he said. "If you're really serious about her, you must really think there's some chemistry between me and Kitty."

"I do. So, will you help me?"

"Of course I will!" Dudley then cracked his knuckles while preparing to give his instructions to Danny. "Well, the secret between me and Kitty is that she does everything that I want her to do. You saw how I was concerned for her well-being?" He watched as Danny nodded in response. "Well, that was just an underlying way of her allowing me to be by her side when we're off on our mission so I know she'll be safe."

The halfa gave an odd stare, thinking that Dudley's logic was ridiculous. "Are you sure that's how it works?"

"Oh yeah!" replied the dog. "If a girl does everything you want, that's basically her way of saying that she wants you. Now, let me give you a story of how I got together with Kitty."

"**Any Way You Want It"**

**As Made Famous by Journey**

Dudley then decided to give his lesson through song:

_Any way you want it_

_That's the way you need it_

_Any way you want it_

Danny watched in surprise to see the dog sing out his advice as it was not how he expected it to be.

_She loves to laugh_

_She loves to sing_

_She does everything_

_She loves to move_

_She loves to groove_

_She loves the lovin' things_

It was then that Dudley threw his arms into the air like he had gone mad, but then he twisted around and faced Danny with a stare that showed he knew exactly what he was saying.

_Ooh, all night, all night_

_Oh, every night_

_So hold tight, hold tight_

_Ooh, baby, hold tight_

Dudley then invited Danny over to join him, and the ghost boy reluctantly rolled his eyes and walked over to stand next to the dog while he continued to sing out his point.

_Oh, she said,_

_Any way you want it_

_That's the way you need it_

_Any way you want it_

_She said, Any way you want it_

_That's the way you need it_

_Any way you want it_

"Uh, Dudley," said Danny, "I'm not so sure about this."

"Hey, you said you wanted my help," said the dog, "and I'm just telling you what I know. Now here's how I felt before I hooked up with Kitty."

_I was alone_

_I never knew_

_What good love could do_

_Ooh, then we touched_

_Then we sang_

_About the lovin' things_

Suddenly, Danny felt a smile form on his face, like he understood what Dudley was telling him. It felt strange at first but then he decided to keep listening.

_Ooh, all night, all night_

_Oh, every night_

_So hold tight, hold tight_

_Ooh baby, hold tight_

Dudley then started to dance along the floor by shuffling his feet and lifting a fist high above his head, and soon Danny joined alongside him. The ghost boy then figured out that what he was singing about made sense to him, so he danced the same as the dog continued the song.

_Oh, she said,_

_Any way you want it_

_That's the way you need it_

_Any way you want it_

_Oh, she said, Any way you want it_

_That's the way you need it_

_Any way you want it_

"I think I get it now," said Danny. "If I don't want this relationship to fail, I have to show June that I'm serious about it. I have to make her want me by letting her do whatever I want!"

"Now you're getting it!" said Dudley.

_She said, Hold on_

_Hold on, hold on, hold on_

The two then ran down the hallway where the others had left while continuing their dance moves along with the song that Dudley sang. Eventually, Danny was singing along with him.

_Oh, she said,_

_Any way you want it_

_That's the way you need it_

_Any way you want it_

_Any way you want it_

_That's the way you need it_

_Any way you want it_

The two of them were almost there when they stopped in the middle of the hall to conclude their routine.

_Oh, she said,_

_Any way you want it_

_That's the way you need it_

_Any way you want it_

_Any way you want it_

_That's the way you need it_

_Any way you want it_

Danny then felt truly grateful that he asked Dudley for his advice, and now he felt confident that his relationship with June would be much better.

_Any way you want it_

_That's the way you need it_

_Any way you want it_

_Any way you want it_

_That's the way you need it_

_Any way you want it_

"Thanks so much for your help, Dudley!" said Danny.

"No problem!" said Dudley. "Just glad I could help someone in need."

_Any way you want it_

_That's the way you need it_

_Any way you want it_

_Any way you want it_

_That's the way you need it_

_Any way you want it_

The two then spread out their arms as the song was nearly finished.

_Any way you want it_

_That's the way you need it_

_Any way you want it_

With their minds set, the two ran down the hallway to join the others to start their mission of saving Toon City, and Danny knew he had been given the right advice for June that he could no longer worry about it and focus on the task at hand.

* * *

><p>BlueTiger321: Well, things are about to get even more interesting. And once again, I apologize for taking so long to update.<p>

Dudley: Hey, no worries! We know that you'll get this story done.

Kitty: That's right, and maybe you'll give me and Dudley more time together.

Dudley: Aww, Kitty! *blushes*

Kitty: *giggles*

BlueTiger321: Uh, I think I better give them some alone time. Anyway, folks, stay tuned for the next chapter. And if some of you hadn't noticed, I've put up references to songs in this story, so try and figure out where they are. So, until next time…

Dudley and Kitty: Read and review!


	6. Chapter 5: Fear of the Dark

Chapter 5: Fear of the Dark

BlueTiger321: So now that our heroes have joined with T.U.F.F., they expect that they'll have all the support they need to stop Azula. But will it be enough? Let's find out! And in case any of you are wondering, I intend to put in as many song references as I can into this story. Some of you have probably figured them out by now, even by some of the names of the chapters. Okay, I'll shut up now. =P

* * *

><p>It was nearly midnight in Toon City and not a thing stirred out of place. All the streets were barren while the wind blissfully swept by to create an eerie sound, like a flute beginning a grand symphony. Unbeknownst to most of the denizens of the city, a dastardly job was about to take place—and there were only a select few who were willing to halt it for good.<p>

Right in the heart of the city's industrial district sat a complex of warehouses that each gave off such a foreboding vibe from their appearances. They were all numbered that were painted in white over the main gates, and they each stood peacefully while the moonlight reflected off their metal roofs. Anybody would suspect that a place like this would be the stage for a sinister plot at any time, but nobody would ever have the courage to see if that was what was really happening—except for some people.

Stealthily making their way through the shadows was the group of friends along with their newest members: the T.U.F.F. agents Dudley Puppy and Kitty Katswell. After their introduction at the secret headquarters and being debriefed about Azula's plan, they were all determined to bring about the change that they were desperate to have for the city. Slowly but surely they walked with caution to head for the warehouse where they were certain was the location.

All the members moved with grace through the shadows like they had each become moths to the flame. Not only did they need to be swift in order to reach their destination, but they also needed to be careful so they would not arouse any of Azula's guards on alert. Everyone was doing well until they all heard the sound of a loud crunch. It was so unexpected that they all froze in place and made them think they had been made.

On instinct, they all turned around to find that it was, in fact, Radarr who had made the noise. The little guy looked down and saw that one of his hind paws had crushed a soda can against the pavement. Feeling embarrassed, he moved his paw off the can and smiled sheepishly to the others. The sound of shushing then came from all of them as they each put a finger over their lips to tell Radarr to be quiet.

The trek through the streets continued for the group, and it wasn't long before they finally made it to the right spot. Directly in front of them was warehouse complex that they had been informed about before leaving. It was now a question of determining which warehouse was the one where the shipment would be received.

"Well, I'd say the easy part is over," whispered Danny.

"You mean _that_ was the easy part?" said Dudley. "It's always a brainteaser for me whenever I'm on a mission."

Aang was absolutely overwhelmed by the number of warehouses that lined the way, and the thought of checking them all seemed like an arduous task even with him and his friends working together. "There must be dozens of these warehouses. How are we gonna find out which one is where we're supposed to go?"

Kitty then pointed over to a warehouse on her left and said, "My guess is the one with the knuckleheads guarding it."

The others all turned to the spot and saw that the warehouse that was marked with _18_ over the gate had some of Arkham City's thugs patrolling the perimeter. Their appearances were made up of suits that were coloured black on their left sides and white on the right. They also wore masks that showed the right side to be normal while the left side was mutilated to depict the image of their former master, who was the infamous Two-Face. The men silently walked around the warehouse and they were all armed with either an assault rifle or a pump-action shotgun.

"So, we're supposed to head for Hangar Eighteen," said Dudley.

"Warehouse," Stork corrected.

The dog gave the Merb an odd look. "What's the difference?"

"A hangar is what's used to hold airplanes, whereas a warehouse is used to hold different items."

Dudley opened his eyes in revelation when he understood what his colleague had told him. "Wow, I did not know that. Thanks for clearing that up for me, Stork."

"In any case," interrupted Aerrow, "how are we going to get in there when the guards have it surrounded?"

"I think stealth is going to be the key here," replied Kitty. "Stick to the shadows and take out the guards silently without being detected." She looked down at her wristwatch to make sure that they were on track. "But we better do it quickly. It's two minutes to midnight and we don't want to miss our chance."

Kitty waved her hand over to lead the others, and so they all slowly crept after her towards the warehouse. Deep inside each of themselves, they could all feel their hearts beat much faster than normal for not wanting to fail this mission and also from the fear of being caught by the guards. Step by step they each took, being careful not to make the mistake of accidentally walking over any object and create a sudden noise to draw attention. It was going well for all of them when they finally had their backs against the wall of the adjacent warehouse. The shadow from the building was luckily large enough for all of them to remain unseen. They waited for their eyes to adjust to the darkness until they finally saw it.

The guards walked back and forth on their posts, feeling lucky that they had not encountered any intruders but also wanting to get the chance to use their firearms against the first unlucky target that was foolish enough to step into sight.

It was then that some of the guards began to strike up a conversation.

"I dunno what Azula's got cookin' up," said one of them, "but I bet it's gonna be a big surprise for all the chumps o' this city."

"Who cares?" said another guard. "We've been told ta guard this place 'till the shipment gets here, just like the others inside were told. And if anybody tries ta break in, we blast 'em!"

"Yeah, you're right. I just wish that we didn't have ta do it on such a freezin' cold night."

"Just shut yer trap and get back ta work!"

The group watched as the two guards got back to pacing around the warehouse. From watching all the guards stationed on the outside, they deduced that there were only four of them.

"Now what do we do?" asked June.

"Four of us should go in and take them out all at once so they won't have time to react," replied Kitty.

"I'll take out one of them," Aerrow volunteered.

"Me too," said Danny.

"Me three," said Junko.

Sokka looked at the Wallop with an expression that showed he was disagreeing with his plan. "No offense, Junko, but you're not exactly the stealthy type."

"This coming from the guy who shouts 'Sneak attack!' when attempting to do a sneak attack," added Katara.

The teenage boy looked at his sister with narrowed eyes filled with contempt. "Thank you _so_ much for your gratifying words," he said sarcastically.

"I'll go with you guys," said Piper. She would do it for the sake of the mission, but deep down she wanted to be close to the boy that she felt connected.

"And I'll get the last one," said Kitty. "Now let's do this quickly so we can get into the warehouse and stop that shipment."

With their plan set, the four went out of the shadowed area and crept their way to the warehouse. Danny made sure to transform into his ghost persona as he tiptoed, and everyone sighed with relief when they saw that his transformation hadn't alerted the guards. They inched closer to their targets while making sure to stay out of the light, out of the guards' line of sight, to slow down their breathing, and to match their footsteps with that of the guards until they were within range of taking them down.

Back in the shadows, the others were feeling nervous about their friends' attempts to take down the guards. They could all hear the chattering of teeth that was coupled with the grinding against fingernails, and it was coming from the one who felt the most nervous: Stork. The ones who knew Stork the most knew that it was only a habit of his during times of crisis, so they only paid attention to their other friends.

Toph, on the other hand, could feel the vibrations of every step being taken, and she was the only one who showed a calm expression by sensing that her friends were almost there with the guards still being completely unaware of their presence—and it was then that they struck.

Aerrow went first by placing both hands over the mouth of the guard he followed. The man tried to struggle free, but the Sky Knight held a good grip to prevent him from shouting and moving but not so hard to cause any serious damage. Eventually, the lack of oxygen had forced the man to his knees until he dropped his shotgun and limped to the ground unconscious.

Piper intercepted the guard in front of her by tapping lightly on his shoulder. A gasp came from his mouth as he turned around only to find the Storm Hawk held out a hypnosis crystal. The crystal gave off a steady green glow that put the man into a sleepy trance, causing him to wave back and forth in an attempt to stay awake. Feeling his eyelids getting heavy, the man let go of his gun and dozed off while falling on his back.

It was time for Danny to strike, so he willed his body to go intangible and then overshadowed the guard. The man's body shook violently as he was forcefully being taken control of by the halfa. He tried to shout for help but found that his own hand covered his mouth as was willed by Danny. It soon became futile for him when his eyes underneath his mask glowed green. When Danny had complete control over the guard, he commanded him to lie down and slip into unconsciousness. The halfa then exited the guard's body where his body went solid.

Kitty felt that enough time had been wasted, so she leapt into the air and came down with both feet extended towards the guard. The attack connected and struck the man in the back of his head where he fell to the ground and dropped his gun as he had become stunned by the unexpected assault. Kitty knew that the attack would only keep the guard down for a moment, so she followed up by landing on his back and balled her right hand into a tight fist where she slammed it down onto the man's head to knock him out.

"You can come out now," said Kitty. "The guards have been taken care of."

The others all came out of hiding with ecstatic expressions. They all watched with glee to see their friends perform their first task as a team perfectly. For Kitty, especially, she thought that the team would function just like a well-oiled machine if their operations went as smoothly as this and each member played his or her part.

"Great work, you guys," said Dudley, "though I wish I could've joined in some of the action."

"I'm sure you'll get your chance," said Aerrow. "The guards mentioned that there are more of them inside the warehouse."

"He's right," said Toph. "I could feel vibrations coming from in the warehouse, and there's a whole lot of 'em. It feels like Azula's got practically every jerkwad from Arkham City in there."

"Whoa!" Finn said, intimidated by the news. "If this place has got that much protection, then Azula must think that this shipment is pretty important to her—whatever it is."

"All the more reason why we need to get in there and stop it," said Aang. "We're wasting our time out here, so let's get inside now!"

Danny had already come up with the solution. "Everyone, grab on to each other!" he said.

Heeding the ghost boy's words, the others all locked hands with each other until it came down to Danny, so he grabbed onto June and Dudley. The halfa then focused his ghost powers so he would go intangible, and doing so would cause him to share his ability with the others as long as they remained in physical contact with each other. Seeing that his plan worked, Danny took a step towards the wall with everyone following in close succession and together they passed through it and ended up inside the warehouse.

Danny let his power fade once he and everyone else was inside and they all saw that the warehouse was well lit and filled with numerous crates of different shapes and sizes all lining the floor while some were stacked on top of others. The second floor consisted of a long metal platform that stretched along the edges of the walls and bridged at different points. And as was proven true by the guard's statement and Toph's findings, the warehouse was crawling with more guards that used to be Penguin's henchmen who were also armed with firearms.

"Okay, guys," whispered Aerrow. "It's just like last time, except we all need to take them out."

Nodding in agreement, everyone sneaked off in different directions, each with the same goal in mind. If they were to find out exactly what Azula was planning when the mysterious shipment arrived, then they had to silently strike down each guard so they would be able to ambush the delivery.

Stork had made his way over to one corner and saw that it contained the warehouse's fuse box. An idea came to mind that he knew the others would agree on and hopefully put the guards on edge. With a sly grin, he opened the fuse box and pulled the switch that controlled the power.

At that moment the warehouse went dark, causing every guard to freeze on the spot. Everyone else on Stork's team also looked worried by the lights going out, but then they heard a feint call to them and found the spot from where it came. They saw Stork waving at them in the moonlight while pointing towards the fuse box that was shut off to indicate that he was the cause of it. It might have seemed careless to the others at first but it was then that they took it as a good thing now that getting around the guards and taking them out would be much easier. A thumbs up came from the rest of the group to congratulate the Merb for his ingenuity.

But the guards were not so fortunate to have the lights out in the warehouse. "What the hell just happened?" said one of them.

"Whaddaya think, dumbass?" said another. "The lights just went out!"

"D'ya think somebody snuck in here and shut 'em off?"

"No way! We've got this place locked up good and tight! If someone was stupid enough ta break in here, the guys outside woulda shot 'em down before they even got close. It's prob'ly the crappy wiring in this rundown warehouse, so they'll be back on any minute. Now quit yer yammerin' and get back ta work."

And with that, the guards resumed their marching around the building like nothing had ever happened, confident that they still had control over the warehouse.

One guard patrolling the platform walked into a section where a metal rafter hung overhead, and he just passed it before a long stream of water lowered itself and slithered after him like a deadly python hunting its prey. The water travelled a few more feet and wrapped itself around the guard's ankle. It wasn't long until the man felt something wet by his feet and that's when he looked down and screamed with fright. The water then pulled him along the platform, forcing him to drop his gun and try to claw his way out only to find it useless. By then the water already held him upside-down from the rafter and continued to smother his body. It then formed up to his mouth where it immediately shifted to ice to prevent any more screaming and to keep him suspended.

Out from within the shadows above the rafter came Katara. The young Waterbender closed her water carrier and quickly moved out of sight to avoid getting caught as she knew that the man's screaming would alert his allies.

True enough, the other guards all sprang into action and saw with great disbelief to see one of their own hanging from the rafter and encased in ice.

"What's goin' on? How come he's up there?" said one guard.

"Leave 'im!" said another guard. "It means we've got a trespasser in here!"

But the other guards felt frightened that they were going to be next. "Oh, man, what're we gonna do?"

"Shut the hell up! We gotta find whoever's responsible and make 'im pay!" The others headed off in different directions while one guard stayed behind and shouted out a warning to the intruder. "Whoever's in here, we'll find ya! You can bet on that!"

The guards all walked around the dark warehouse completely shaken up by what they saw. Now each of them prayed that they could all get out as soon as possible and avoid any sort of horrors that might lie in wait for them. But then they remembered that they were doing a job for Azula, and any failure they presented to her would be far worse than anything they would encounter, for she was merciless in showing her displeasure.

So the men all kept going into the darkness while their fear took over their minds. If something managed to pop out in front of them, their plan would be to shoot first and ask questions later.

"Leave me alone, please?" said a frightened guard.

Two guards walked back-to-back to each other on the ground floor so they would be ready if anything came for them in the front or back. But in the shadows between two large crates came a large pair of hands that grabbed their heads and slammed them into each other, knocking them out right in that instant. Junko looked out from the shadows and smiled at what he did and thought that it would show Sokka that he could be stealthy.

Another guard was behind a brick wall when there was suddenly a rumble. He was about to get away when the wall behind him exploded to bury him under the broken bricks. The large hole in the wall revealed Toph while she smugly blew on her knuckles.

Four more guards walked along the floor with both their weapons held out. None of them saw that four different crates suddenly broke open and out came four hands that grabbed them on the shoulders and pulled them in before they had time to react. Loud thrashing noises came next that only lasted a few seconds; it ended with the guards all falling out unconscious. Out from within the crates came Kitty, Dudley, Sokka and June all giving each other thumbs up and running into the shadows.

Danny went intangible once more and did the same routine he did earlier: overshadowing a guard. It proved its worth as he had used minor effort to take control of the man. The halfa then commanded the guard to blackout. Danny exited the man's body and flew off to rejoin his friends.

Along the platform walked two more guards, each with their shotguns cocked so they could take out their target the moment that it stepped into view. But then one guard yelled as a shot came from behind him and froze him in a large block of ice. This, in turn, surprised the other guard and caused him to lean on the railing. A hand then reached up from behind him and turned him around where he was banged on the head by the railing, sending him falling on his back. Finn had climbed up from under the platform just as Piper walked up with her staff in hand that had a frost crystal on the tip.

There were only two guards left and they were now terrified when they had heard that their other comrades had been taken out within seconds. They were so overcome with fear that their hands were rapidly shaking and caused their assault rifles to act the same way.

The guards then heard flapping sounds and looked up only to shout as Aang and Aerrow came down with the Avatar using the glider from his staff and the Sky Knight using the battle glider on his back. Both of them applied a kick to the guards when they came down and sent them sprawling across the floor while their weapons dropped from their hands. Aang then changed his staff back and jumped up to swing it down on a downed guard's head while Aerrow also jumped on the other guard and knocked him out with his fists.

All the guards had been taken out, and so the lights had been turned back on by Stork. The others all came out and smiled upon seeing that they had cleared out the warehouse as a result of their teamwork.

"We did it," said Aerrow.

No sooner had the red-haired teen made the statement when a loud noise was heard. So they all turned their heads to see that it was the warehouse's gate opening.

"And not a moment too soon," said Piper.

The other members already knew that the girl was talking about the shipment's arrival, and they were now ready to intercept it.

Both doors of the gate were pushed open and revealed more of Penguin's former henchmen that pushed five large metal boxes on dollies. None of them knew exactly what was in the boxes but they did know that it was something important for Azula, so they would do as they were ordered without question.

"All right, guys," said one thug. "Now let's drop off these boxes and—"

But the man cut off his sentence when he gasped and saw along with his fellows that every other guard that was supposed to watch over the warehouse was knocked unconscious and standing before them was a group that got ready into a pose that showed them they were ready to fight.

"It's over, boys!" said Kitty. "We'll be taking whatever's in those boxes right now!"

"That's right!" said Dudley. "We're T.U.F.F. agents and we always bring down the bad guys!"

"If you don't want to end up like your buddies, then I suggest you give them to us without a hassle!" said Aerrow.

One henchman was a bit terrified by the group and accidentally backed into one of the boxes. The lid slid open and out rolled an autoinjector. The man looked at it strangely while trying to ponder why Azula would have something like it transported. But then he thought that it might be what he needed to take care of the intruders, and so he summoned all his courage, picked it up and stuck the object in his neck. Immediately he squeezed down the trigger and injected the green fluid into his body.

"Uh," Finn said confusedly, "why did he just do that?"

"Are you sure you want to find out?" said Piper.

All of a sudden, the man began to convulse. He ripped the autoinjector out and screamed while he thrashed his arms around wildly. Everyone in the warehouse looked on nervously and saw that the man's body was also beginning to change. His muscles seemed to grow exponentially and soon his clothes had become torn while the muscles bulged out. The veins in his arms had also started to glow green similar to the fluid he injected, and pieces of bone stuck out like spikes all over his arms and head while his spine also stuck out from his back. The man opened his eyes and everyone saw they were glowing green along with his veins and he let out a mighty roar that made him sound fearsome as a lion.

"Sorry I asked," whimpered Finn.

The giant henchman then pounded a fist on the floor that was powerful enough to send a shockwave along its way over to the group. Everyone was knocked down by the force and fell down on either their rears or their stomachs. The rest of the henchmen took this time to pull out their knives or their baseball bats. They were glad to have such a powerful ally on their side but they weren't foolish enough to inject the strange fluid in their bodies, so they would do their best to beat down the intruders.

Aerrow and his friends soon stood up and faced their opponents with vigour in their hearts. Now they understood what Azula was trying to have shipped into the city and they could not let something so dangerous like it be unleashed.

"Charge!" said the Sky Knight.

Both sides went into battle. The giant went first by roaring and then charging head-first. Sokka saw this and pulled out his boomerang in an attempt to make the oversized thug stumble while running. Pulling back his hand, the Water Tribe teen flung his weapon and sent it straight for the giant. But the weapon did little damage to the giant; it merely bounced off his head and landed on the floor, and the thug was still able to run at full speed.

"Aw, man!" said Sokka.

The boy was pulled out of the giant's path by his sister, and they had come face-to-face with a knife-wielding henchman.

"You're gonna need a wheelchair when I'm through with ya!" said the man.

But then the man was knocked forward when a fist connected with the back of his head. Junko was the one who came to the rescue of the siblings while the others fared well against the other thugs by using their own set of unique skills.

The giant then stomped his way over to the Wallop while he was distracted and swung his muscular arm into Junko's back, sending him into Sokka and Katara to make them fall into a huge pile. All three of them saw stars while they groaned in pain from the sheer force of the attack.

"Keep hitting 'em!" said a thug who kept his eye on the whole display. He was about to join in the fight when he was suddenly knocked down by a flying kick from Dudley.

"Hi-Gi-Gi!" shouted the dog.

Kitty dodged a punch from a henchman and grabbed his arm to throw him over his shoulder where she finished him off by twisting his arm to make him scream from the intense pain. "This would go a lot smoother if that musclehead was taken out first!"

The giant roared while he was about to do another charge. But then, a chirp echoed throughout the warehouse. Everyone stopped what they were doing to see Radarr jump down from the rafters and land right on the giant's head.

"I was wondering where you've been, buddy!" Aerrow said with relief.

Radarr then smirked and covered his front paws over the giant's eyes. This had infuriated the muscle-bound man and caused him to stumble around while swinging his arms in front. It started a chain reaction as the giant swung his powerful arms right into his comrades, causing them all to be instantly knocked out after the furious beating they received from the group. Radarr's friends cheered him on as he was doing the one thing that was winning this fight.

But the giant regained his bearings and shook Radarr off him right in front of one henchman who didn't get knocked out and managed to grab a shotgun that he cocked and aimed at the little guy.

"Say your prayers!" said the man.

Radarr was frozen in terror while his pupils narrowed. His whole life flashed before his eyes in that moment, but it all changed when Aerrow leapt in with his blades drawn and ignited. The Sky Knight sliced off the shotgun's barrel with a clean swipe and threw the henchman off balance. Aerrow took this opportunity to spin around and kick the man in the face that sent him straight into a crate where he crashed right through it and stayed down.

Radarr breathed a sigh of relief and smiled up at his friend who smiled back at him, knowing that it was Aerrow's way of returning the favour.

By then the giant was about to start another rampage when Danny came flying in with June hanging on by his hands. Following Radarr's example, the two were going to try the same trick, only they were going to finish off the brute. June let go of Danny when she was within range and used her enhanced strength as the Te Xuan Ze to furiously punch him in the face. It appeared to work as the giant was forced onto his knees from the assault and bent down to try to avoid further damage, but June saw it as a way to end it. She somersaulted to kick the giant's chin and then came down with both feet extended right onto his head.

The giant lay down defeated along with the rest of the henchmen, leaving the group standing as the victors.

"Now that was a pretty intense fight," said Aerrow.

"No kidding," agreed Piper. "I can see now why Azula had so much security for"—Piper then said for lack of a better word—"this."

"Well, at least we've got it now instead of her," said Danny.

"Yeah," said June. "Who knows what she would've done with it if she had it."

"What is that stuff, anyway?" said Aang.

"I don't know," said Kitty. "But in any case, we need to get it back to headquarters and keep it under lock and key." She looked down at her communicator to inform T.U.F.F. of their progress. "Chief, we've acquired the shipment. Send over a team to have it picked up."

_"Good work, agents!"_ said the Chief on the other line. _"Maybe now Azula will know not to mess with us."_

Katara had just recovered from the assault she endured along with Sokka and Junko. Her eyes looked around and she immediately stopped when she thought she saw someone at the open gate. She rubbed her eyes, thinking that it was probably a repercussion from being knocked silly, but the person she saw was still there: it was Zuko. Katara saw that the others were too busy paying attention to the metal boxes to notice, so she walked her way over to the gate to confront the teen.

Zuko walked outside and away from the warehouse. He knew that Katara had seen him and he could not allow her to stand in his way, lest all the work he had made would go to waste. He was about to make his exit when a familiar voice called out to him.

"Zuko!" said Katara.

The teenage boy stopped and cursed himself for not escaping sooner. He then turned around and faced the girl with a sheepish-looking face. "Hey, Katara," he said.

"'Hey, Katara?' Is that all you've got to say to me?" The girl felt resentment fill up inside her while she walked over to the boy and gave him a serious face. "I've just got to know something. Why are you working for Azula?"

Zuko blinked twice while he thought of the right words to say. "It's complicated," he replied. "You wouldn't be able to understand it."

"What's not to understand? You betrayed us by joining your psychotic sister after she already hurt you many times before. I thought that you were our friend—_my_ friend."

"Look, Katara," he said. "I can't tell you what's really going on, but all I can say is that I know exactly what I'm doing because it's for the good of Toon City. Please know that everything is falling into place and just wait until it all comes together."

Katara took a step back and thought that her friend had gone insane. Why would he think that Azula taking over and creating total anarchy in the city was what's best? Suddenly, she felt sorry for ever coming to meet with Zuko.

"**Just Breathe"**

**As Made Famous by Pearl Jam**

Zuko then decided to express what he was saying to Katara in the style of a melody:

Zuko: _Yes, I understand that every life must end, uh-huh_

_As we sit alone, I know someday we must go, uh-huh_

_Oh I'm a lucky man, to count on both hands the ones I love_

_Some folks just have one, yeah, others, they've got none_

But then Katara thought that somewhere deep inside Zuko must still be the part of him that she knew, and so she would try to reach out to him to get him to see reason.

Katara: _Stay with me..._

_Let's just breathe..._

"Zuko," said Katara, "why must you be like this? I'm sure there has to be a way that you can see what you're doing is wrong, and you're hurting your friends."

"I'm sorry, Katara," said the boy, "but I have to do this." He then continued to express his feelings through song, hoping to see that the girl would understand.

Zuko: _Practiced all my sins, never gonna let me win, uh-huh_

_Under everything, just another human being, uh-huh_

_I don't wanna hurt, there's so much in this world to make me bleed_

Reaching out to place a hand on Katara's shoulder, Zuko looked deep into her eyes.

Zuko: _Stay with me_

_You're all I see..._

But Katara brushed away his hand and shook her head, thinking that he was a fool to think that he could convince his story to her. Still, she tried once again to reach for the Zuko she knew was somewhere inside him.

Katara: _Did I say that I need you?_

_Did I say that I want you?_

_Oh, if I didn't I'm a fool you see_

_No one knows this more than me_

_As I come clean..._

"I just want you to know, Katara, that I never meant to hurt you or the others," said Zuko. "This is just something that happened and… I want you to know that my friends will always stay close to me."

The sentiment brought a tear to the girl's eye, but it still was no excuse for the boy's actions. "You think that that makes it all better? You're wrong. If you really didn't want to hurt us, you should've stayed with us instead of defecting over to Azula." Katara then recalled all the good times she had with Zuko and sang them out.

Katara: _I wonder every day, as I look upon your face, uh-huh_

_Everything you gave and nothing you would save, oh no_

_Nothing you would take_

_Everything you gave..._

Zuko did understand what his friend was telling him, but he knew that he still had a job to do and could not let anything or anyone deter him because it was important—and he knew that it would work out in the end because it would involve his friends as well. He then thought it would be best if he explained to the girl what he truly felt about her and the others.

Zuko: _Did I say that I need you?_

_Oh, did I say that I want you?_

_Oh, if I didn't I'm a fool you see_

_No one knows this more than me_

_And I come clean, ah..._

"But Zuko," said Katara, "if you really want to help Toon City, you would never support what Azula is doing to it. She may appear to be benevolent, but everyone is suffering because of her rule. You of all people should know that."

Zuko knew that the conversation was about to lead to him leaking too much information, so he would have to do the last thing he would ever have to do: lie to one of his friends. "I'm sorry, Katara, but this is the way it has to be—it's the only way to set things right."

Katara took another step back and shook her head in disbelief. Hearing those words coming from her friend make her realize that he had never changed and that the Zuko she knew was never real.

It was then that Zuko finished off the song.

Zuko: _Nothing you would take_

_Everything you gave_

_Hold me 'till I die_

_Meet you on the other side..._

But Katara was not swayed by the words; instead she walked away from Zuko back into the warehouse to be with the others. She chose not to fight Zuko for the sake of their old friendship, but the next time they were to meet, they would be enemies.

Zuko cursed himself for saying those hurtful words to his friend and brought his head down in shame. It was probably the hardest thing he ever had to do but then he remembered that it was for the good of his operation. Turning around, he walked out of the warehouse complex to face his sister.

* * *

><p>BlueTiger321: Man, that's some pretty deep stuff.<p>

Katara: Why did you put me in that awful scene?

BlueTiger321: Don't worry; it'll all work out in the end.

Zuko: I hope that it does.

Katara: I'm not talking to you, jerk!

BlueTiger321: Ooh, now that's cold! Anyway, folks, stay tuned for the next chapter where it'll involve some fiascos from our heroes. So, until next time…

Zuko: Read and review!


	7. Chapter 6: Love Lost

Chapter 6: Love Lost

BlueTiger321: All right, so now the next chapter is up! Our heroes have gotten the weird shipment out of Azula's clutches, but now she's about to retaliate. I won't spoil what's going to happen in this chapter but I will apologize right now for what will happen, because it's how I envisioned the story but most of you will probably hate me for it. Enjoy!

* * *

><p>Morning had come to Toon City. Everyone went about their daily business as usual without any knowledge of the previous night's events, but those who did know were either celebrating a victory or grumbling in defeat. They were the only ones who knew of what truly was happening for the city and they opposed each other so much that anything had to be done to uphold their values—but the recent loss for the malevolent side was too much to bear.<p>

Azula walked through City Hall fuming with rage. She had been informed by her brother about how her forces had lost the shipment, and she was so consumed with anger that she did not even know how to unleash it. The only thing that kept her mind at ease was knowing that it was done by the same group who had challenged her ruling before so she already had a clear idea of exactly who to target. Still, this would come as a great hindrance to her plan and she would have to get it fixed before it was too late.

Zuko stood in the main foyer along with a group of TYGER operatives, completely unaware of their leader's presence. The sound of the footsteps echoing in the room was what caught their attention, so they turned to face Azula and salute her as was their custom. Every last one of them would have to work even harder in order to satisfy her needs, lest they were to feel Azula's wrath like facing an angry bull.

When Azula got closer to her subjects, she breathed in through her nostrils and seemed to have relaxed a bit, and then she pursed her lips into a smile that the others thought strange given her previous discontent feeling.

"Now, if I may ask something of you all," said Azula. "How is it that I gave you the simple task of receiving a very important shipment I ordered and then losing it to a ragtag bunch of misfits who are trying to overthrow me? I have explained time and again that I do not enjoy being disappointed, yet you seem to misunderstand."

A TYGER operative stepped forth to address his master. "We understand what you're saying, Ma'am, and we're doing all we can to—"

"Silence!" shouted Azula as she sent blue flames out from her palms into the air and forced the man back into his place. "Do you think I want to hear your excuses? You are to do my bidding and see to it that it gets done right away, or else you will find yourself at the end of my fire blasts! Do I make myself clear?"

The TYGER operatives and Zuko all nodded their heads to show that the message got through to them. If there was one thing that they all never wanted to experience, it was to face off against an enraged Azula while she used her Firebending skills on them.

"What shall we do now, sister?" asked Zuko.

Azula pondered the thought. There were still much to do for her plan, but she could not ignore the imposing threat of the people responsible for getting in her way. It then occurred to her that last night's raid did not appear to have been a random chance; they obviously knew that it was happening, and the only ones she ever told about it were her own subjects. Somehow she suspected that someone was working on the inside against her, but she could not reveal this to anyone; not without any solid evidence. So she decided that she would have to take care of this matter herself.

"We will go ahead with my plan as scheduled," said the girl, "and I will not underestimate those saboteurs any further. If they want to play with me, then I'll show them that I play dirty."

With that, Azula walked out of the foyer while Zuko and the TYGER operatives went off to proceed with the plan as instructed. When his sister was out of range, Zuko shifted his eyes and trembled on the inside when he suddenly felt that she was suspecting someone was working against her, and he felt as though this was a cause for concern.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile back at T.U.F.F. headquarters, the group was getting ready for a debriefing about last night's incidents as well as about what to do as part of their next move. They were all excited because they felt like they were actually dealing serious injury to Azula's operation and that whatever they were about to do might get the citizens to see not to side with the girl or her ambitions.<p>

In the main room was where everyone stood, eager to get started. And no sooner had they all wondered when that would be when the Chief once again rolled in while standing atop his specialized platform with Keswick following right behind him. Standing upright and saluting him, the group waited patiently for what the flea was about to say.

"Agents, you all did very well last night," said the Chief. "I can already feel that we're getting one step closer to taking back our city."

"It was our pleasure, Chief," said Dudley while combing the fur on his head back with his paw. "It's all in a day's work for a secret agent. We eat punks like them for breakfast! Speaking of which, we should be getting breakfast soon."

Kitty rolled her eyes at the comment, thinking it was typical that her partner would think of food over anything else. "What Dudley means, Chief, is that we finished the mission not just for our sake, but for everyone in Toon City. And we couldn't have done it without our newest members."

Aerrow and the others smiled at the comment made by Kitty while some of them blushed. What she said was true but it wasn't really necessary to give them that much credit.

"We're just glad to help," said the Sky Knight. Radarr, who was up on his shoulders, nodded and chirped in agreement.

"It felt good that we got to beat some sense into those creeps from Arkham," said Sokka. "I couldn't stand that we had to share the streets with them."

"Oh, but I'm sure that we still have a long way to go," said Stork. "This was just the tip of the iceberg, which can only mean that there's more suffering and doom around the corner."

"He's got a point," said Piper. "We've just earned ourselves a victory, but I have a feeling that this is only the beginning until everything's back to the way it was before our city was taken over."

"You know, that's been bothering me," said Aang. "How exactly did our city get taken over by Azula in the first place?"

Toph had a quirky smile on her face and shared her thoughts. "Knowing the mayor, he probably handed it over to Azula for a buttload of cash. I bet he would trade in his own mother for pocket change."

"In any case," said Katara, "what's done is done and there's nothing we can do to change it. All we can do is change the future so we don't end up like that… thing… we had to fight."

"Oh, yeah," said Kitty. "Keswick, did you find out what was in those boxes?"

"Yes, I did." The little creature adjusted his glasses as he was about to give his explanation. "After spending hours analyzing the fluid, I have found out that it's s-s-s-some kind of formula that turns people into huge, muscle-bound, mindless monsters. After doing a little research, I've d-d-discovered that it's called Titan formula, which was used a long time ago by the Joker to transform innocent civilians into what you've just f-f-f-faced."

"And Azula managed to get her hands on it," said Aerrow. "What do you think she intended to do with the formula?"

"No clue," replied Keswick. "We won't know for certain about her intentions, but it's probably better that we don't find out."

"Did your research turn up any kind of cure for it?" asked Katara.

"It did, but I'm still w-w-w-working on it and it's going to take some time."

June shuddered while remembering the look of the man who injected himself with Titan. "I don't think I can take having to fight another one of those juiced-up freaks. Just looking at one of them made me feel like I had to put in everything I had to fight it."

"Well, none of you will have to worry," said the Chief. "We've got the Titan formula locked up real good, and nobody is ever going to get their hands on it. Well, except for anyone who can manage to find our secret location and break their way through our secure defenses. But what are the odds of that happening?"

The room was silent after everyone heard the Chief's rant. It had made them all uncomfortable having to hear it and they decided not to make any comment.

"Anyway," said the Chief, "right now we've heard no recent activity coming from Azula, so you should all take this time to relax until the next mission."

The Chief took his leave by wheeling away his platform while Keswick followed after him.

Seeing that they were now free to do whatever they wanted, Finn elbowed Junko in the ribs while a huge grin was plastered on his face. "Why don't we go check out those training grounds and find out which one of us can score the most hits on the target range?"

"You're on!" said the Wallop.

The two then ran out of the room to head off and have some entertainment by themselves, and Aerrow reluctantly followed after them with Radarr to make sure that they did not end up hurting each other or destroying a part of T.U.F.F. headquarters. Seeing that this might be her chance, Piper also walked with Aerrow to find out if the connection she felt with him was the same that he felt with her.

Everyone else went off to do their own things, which only left Danny and June standing with each other. Before they were completely alone, the ghost boy looked off to his left and saw Dudley winking at him, and Danny took it as a sign to remember what the dog had told him to do if he wanted the girl to be with him. Danny felt nervous about the whole thing but would go for it anyway since he was already serious about the relationship, so he would do it and hope for the best.

"Hey, June," said Danny, "can we talk?"

"Sure," said the girl.

Taking in a deep breath, the halfa readied himself for the next words he was about to say. "I've been giving our relationship some thought."

June's eyes were immediately filled with optimism as soon as she heard them. Never had she thought that Danny would be ready so quickly after hearing about a bad experience but she was happy to see that he was already taking action. "Uh-huh," she said.

"And… well…" The boy's mind seemed to wander while he searched his memory for what the dog had taught him, but he felt so nervous that he could not think straight. He could even feel sweat dripping from his forehead as well as forming around his armpits. All he could remember was Dudley telling him about all women doing what their men want them to do. It seemed pretty farfetched to him but it was all that he had at the moment, so that was his only option. With narrowed eyes and a confident smile he said, "I want you to know that you should do whatever I want."

The girl was smiling for the first few seconds and then immediately went wide-eyed when she heard what her boyfriend told her. Those were the kinds of things that she never expected Danny to say—especially to her—and she thought that it was some kind of cruel joke that would end soon.

"What?" said June.

"That's right," said Danny. "If you want this relationship to work, it means that you'll have to make me happy, 'cause that's the way it has to be."

It was slightly funny to her at first, but now June was looking at the boy like he had done a despicable thing—and she would hope that Danny would stop right there. Crossing her arms and tapping her foot, she then spoke in the calmest voice she could without exploding in rage. "Okay, I don't know where you're going with this, but you better pick your next words very carefully."

"I'm only saying what I know is right, so just hear what I have to say."

"I'm hearing what you have to say, but it doesn't sound like you at all. It sounds like I'm talking to a sexist, inconsiderate, pompous douche!"

By that time Danny was also displaying a look of anger for the offensive remark his girlfriend made about him. "What's your problem? I want you to want me!"

"Oh, and you think that I have to get down on my hands and knees and grovel like a dog to earn your love?"

"I never said that!"

"You might as well have, because it would've been a lot better than the crap you already said!"

The halfa stomped away and paced around in circles while he grunted in fury. The plan from Dudley seemed so logical and now it was blowing up right in his face. "Dammit, June!" he shouted. "I'm only doing what you asked of me! I thought about the next stage of our relationship and this is it. What more do you want from me?"

June saw that Danny wasn't going to change his mind about the subject, and that's when she could feel her rage subsiding and her face was changing into a frown. "Is that how you really feel about this? I thought that you would think more about us as a couple… but it looks like you were only thinking about yourself."

Danny froze on the spot and looked at the girl, already feeling like his heart had just stopped. He recognized that look before and he did not want to find out what he thought it meant, but he was compelled to ask anyway. "What are you saying?" he asked.

A tear rolled down June's cheek as she replied, "I think we should break up. We can continue to be friends and partners for T.U.F.F., but this relationship obviously isn't going to work out."

"**Don't Speak"**

**As Made Famous by No Doubt**

June paced around the room and conveyed her feelings to Danny in a song:

_You and me_

_We used to be together_

_Everyday together always_

_I really feel_

_That I'm losing my best friend_

_I can't believe this could be the end_

_It looks as though you're letting go_

_And if it's real_

_Well I don't want to know_

Danny was about to interrupt June but then decided to stay quiet out of respect, and so June continued to sing out her sorrow.

_Don't speak_

_I know just what you're saying_

_So please stop explaining_

_Don't tell me 'cause it hurts_

_Don't speak_

_I know what you're thinking_

_I don't need your reasons_

_Don't tell me 'cause it hurts_

The boy couldn't take it anymore, so he spoke up. "June, I really don't want it to end like this."

"I'm sorry, Danny," said the girl. "I don't want it like this either, but this is how it has to be." After wiping away another tear, she continued to sing.

_Our memories_

_Well, they can be inviting_

_But some are altogether mighty frightening_

_As we die, both you and I_

_With my head in my hands_

_I sit and cry_

Danny didn't want to accept it, but he could not deny the truth, and so he, too, could feel tears forming in his eyes.

_Don't speak_

_I know just what you're saying_

_So please stop explaining_

_Don't tell me 'cause it hurts (no, no, no)_

_Don't speak_

_I know what you're thinking_

_I don't need your reasons_

_Don't tell me 'cause it hurts_

After pacing around by herself, June looked into the boy's eyes and could feel the same sadness that she had. It was all too much for her to handle, but if she didn't get it all out, she would only be lying to herself—and she knew that it would only lead to her feeling much worse.

_It's all ending_

_I gotta stop pretending who we are..._

The boy reached out with his hands, hoping to find one last shred of love for him, but then frowned when he saw June back away from him as soon as he got close.

"How did we let it turn out like this?" asked Danny.

"I guess we're just two very different people," replied June.

"So, how are we gonna break this to the others?"

"We'll tell them when we're ready."

"But June, do you think there's ever the possibility that we'll get back together?"

Rather than answer, June continued with her song.

_You and me I can see us dying...are we?_

It was too painful for Danny to continue listening, but he felt that he should deserve it after treating the girl so poorly. He was now regretting that he took Dudley's advice.

_Don't speak_

_I know just what you're saying_

_So please stop explaining_

_Don't tell me 'cause it hurts (no, no)_

_Don't speak_

_I know what you're thinking_

_I don't need your reasons_

_Don't tell me 'cause it hurts_

_Don't tell me 'cause it hurts!_

_I know what you're saying_

_So please stop explaining_

_Don't speak, don't speak, don't speak, oh_

The song was nearing conclusion, and so June took this moment to slowly walk away from Danny towards the hallway where many of the others had left.

_I know what you're thinking_

_And I don't need your reasons_

_I know you're good,_

_I know you're good,_

_I know you're real good_

_Oh, la la la la la la _

_La la la la la la_

_Don't, don't, uh-huh_

Before completely leaving, June turned around to face Danny when she remembered that he asked her a question and she never answered.

_Hush, hush darlin' _

_Hush, hush darlin'_

_Hush, hush—don't tell me tell me 'cause it hurts_

_Hush, hush darlin' _

_Hush, hush darlin'_

_Hush, hush—don't tell me tell me 'cause it hurts_

The song was over and so June looked at her ex-boyfriend and said, "If there is a chance that you and I can ever get back together, then you have to show me how you should feel about us."

And with that, the girl exited the room, leaving Danny behind to ponder her words and to wallow in his self-pity like his fondest dreams had been destroyed right before his eyes.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile farther down the hallway, Aerrow walked in silence with Radarr hanging off his shoulders while everyone else went to do their own things. He could hardly believe everything that had happened in the last day: getting back with his old friends, joining a secret agent service, and working with everyone in succinct fashion to bring down Azula. It was like a dream from which he didn't want to wake up.<p>

Without his notice, Piper walked up behind him. Now, she figured, would be her chance to see if there was some kind of connection between him and her, because that was what really mattered to her at that point; everything else was trivial in comparison, though she still didn't understand why it was like that. It then occurred to her that she had to find out for sure if this was just her feelings acting out after being held in for so long.

Both of them had gotten to an empty section of the hallway, and so Piper got in closer and called out to her friend.

"Aerrow?" she said.

The red-haired teen turned around upon hearing the familiar voice and it instantly set him with a smile. "Oh. Hi, Piper. I didn't seem to notice you behind me."

"That's all right." The feeling of talking this closely to the boy had suddenly made the girl so nervous that her cheeks were flushed and she did her best to conceal it. "Um, Aerrow, there's been something I've been meaning to ask you and now seems like good a time as any to say it."

"Sure. I've got some time to spare, so fire away."

"All right, then." She cleared her throat and thought about how to phrase her question perfectly. After a few seconds of thinking of the possible solutions, she decided to go with the simplest method. "Now, we've been friends for a long time."

"We sure have," said Aerrow, with Radarr chirping with agreement.

"You know that there's nothing that we wouldn't do for each other."

"Of course."

"Right. So, with everything that's happened recently, I—"

Aerrow then stopped the girl right there by holding up his hand. "I know," he said. "First we wind up as prisoners in our own city, and then we're secretly working to bring down Azula. It really makes me feel alive."

Piper was a bit flustered for being interrupted but gave a short chuckle after hearing Aerrow give his statement. "Right," she said. "Anyway, I was wondering if you—"

But Aerrow stopped her again by saying, "And with our friends together, I know that we can accomplish it. Because united, we are strong."

Once again, the girl continued. "Uh, yeah, sure. But about us—"

Again, Aerrow interrupted her. "I'm glad that all of us together, because nothing's more important than being with your friends."

Piper stood surprised by the statement. Here she was about to tell Aerrow her true feelings and now she felt like she had been shot down by hearing him say that they were nothing more than just friends. Aerrow seemed oblivious to her reaction, but Radarr could see it. He jumped off the boy's shoulders and looked at the girl with a worried face.

"Oh," said Piper. "Is that how you see it?"

"I do," replied the Sky Knight. "Friendship is something that you should always hold on to, and I'm lucky to have a friend like you."

Nodding slightly, Piper felt like she had gotten her answer. "I see."

"So, what was it you wanted to ask me?"

The girl thought about it and knew that she could never tell her friend her true feelings, so she made up another question to which she already knew the answer. "What do you think we'll do when this is all over?"

"Well," replied Aerrow, "we should pretty much get our city back in order since it's already one huge mess. I mean, someone has to, right?"

"Right," she said with a half-smile. "Thanks, Aerrow."

"You're welcome, Piper." And with that, the boy Sky Knight took his leave down the hallway, leaving his two friends by themselves.

Radarr looked up at Piper with saddened eyes and chirped to match his mood. He could already tell that she was about to tell Aerrow something important and she never got the chance since it appeared to him that she had her feelings hurt.

The girl looked down at the little guy after breathing out a huge sigh. "I'm fine, Radarr. Go with Aerrow," she told him.

The furry co-pilot could tell that his friend was lying, but rather than stay and try to comfort her, he respected her wish and walked down the hallway to catch up with the red-haired teen. He didn't like it but it was all he could do.

Piper sighed once more and could feel sadness take hold of her. The one time she ever felt close to Aerrow had just been proven false as she saw that he did not have the same kind of connection. Although it was heartbreaking for her, at least now she knew the truth. She leaned against the wall while rubbing her arm and thought of how it would've been nice if she got to be with the boy like she hoped.

"I really thought that there was something between us," she said, "but I guess I was just fooling myself. Well, at least we'll always be friends. But I wish… I wish that we were something more."

All of a sudden, Piper felt like she was alone in the dark and there was no way out.

"**Total Eclipse of the Heart"**

**As Made Famous by Bonnie Tyler**

Piper began to get all her feelings out through a song that she knew no one would hear:

_(Turn around)_

_Every now and then_

_I get a little bit lonely_

_And you're never coming 'round_

_(Turn around)_

_Every now and then_

_I get a little bit tired_

_Of listening to the sound of my tears_

The girl walked then paced around the dark and depressing hallway like it was the only place where she would find solace, but it was also the place where she felt like staying for the rest of her life.

_(Turn around)_

_Every now and then_

_I get a little bit nervous_

_That the best of all the years have gone by_

She could just picture his emerald eyes as they shined in the light and his brilliant red hair swaying in the wind being unkempt as he always had it, and that was probably the best feature about him, she thought.

_(Turn around)_

_Every now and then I get a little bit terrified_

_And then I see the look in your eyes_

_(Turn around, bright eyes)_

_Every now and then I fall apart_

_(Turn around, bright eyes)_

_Every now and then_

_I fall apart_

It was the worst time in her life, and yet she couldn't stop singing out her sadness, so she kept going as she was compelled by some unseen force.

_(Turn around)_

_Every now and then_

_I get a little bit restless_

_And I dream of something wild_

_(Turn around)_

_Every now and then_

_I get a little bit helpless_

_And I'm lying like a child in your arms_

_(Turn around)_

_Every now and then_

_I get a little bit angry_

_And I know I've got to get out and cry_

_(Turn around)_

_Every now and then_

_I get a little bit terrified_

_But then I see the look in your eyes_

_(Turn around, bright eyes)_

_Every now and then_

_I fall apart_

_(Turn around, bright eyes)_

_Every now and then_

_I fall apart_

Piper then whisked herself around and looked up, as though she were trying to find some shred of faith in her darkest hour.

_And I need you now tonight_

_And I need you more than ever_

_And if you only hold me tight_

_We'll be holding on forever_

_And we'll only be making it right_

_'Cause we'll never be wrong_

_Together we can take it to the end of the line_

_Your love is like a shadow on me all of the time_

_(All of the time)_

_I don't know what to do and I'm always in the dark_

_We're living in a powder keg and giving off sparks_

_I really need you tonight_

_Forever's gonna start tonight_

_(Forever's gonna start tonight)_

Looking down, Piper could feel hot tears stinging her eyes, so she let them cascade down her cheeks since there was no point in holding back her true feelings.

_Once upon a time_

_I was falling in love_

_But now I'm only falling apart_

_There's nothing I can do_

_A total eclipse of the heart_

Placing her hands over her broken heart, she then thought back to all the good times she had with Aerrow and knew that those were the only memories she would have where she actually felt happy to be with him. It seemed pathetic in a way to her, but it would be the only thing that would keep her going.

She continued her song with even more sorrow.

_Once upon a time there was light in my life_

_But now there's only love in the dark_

_Nothing I can say_

_A total eclipse of the heart_

Piper wiped her tears away and then talked to herself to try and figure out why it was that he didn't see her as more than a friend. "Aerrow, you mean more to me than anything else in the world. You might not be able to see it, but I will always be there for you… even though it means that we can never be together."

_(Turn around, bright eyes)_

_(Turn around, bright eyes)_

Taking slow steps down the hallway, the girl continued her song that came from deep within herself.

_(Turn around)_

_Every now and then_

_I know you'll never be the boy_

_You always wanted to be_

_(Turn around)_

_But every now and then_

_I know you'll always be the only boy_

_Who wanted me the way that I am_

_(Turn around)_

_Every now and then_

_I know there's no one in the universe_

_As magical and wondrous as you_

_(Turn around)_

_Every now and then_

_I know there's nothing any better_

_There's nothing that I just wouldn't do_

_(Turn around, bright eyes)_

_Every now and then I fall apart_

_(Turn around, bright eyes)_

_Every now and then I fall apart_

Piper then dropped to her knees and kept singing. It was all she could do to keep herself from going insane from hiding her feelings, so she would keep going until at least some of her pain was gone.

_And I need you now tonight_

_And I need you more than ever_

_And if you only hold me tight_

_We'll be holding on forever_

_And we'll only be making it right_

_'Cause we'll never be wrong_

_Together we can take it to the end of the line_

_Your love is like a shadow on me all of the time_

_(All of the time)_

_I don't know what to do_

_I'm always in the dark_

_Living in a powder keg and giving off sparks_

_I really need you tonight_

_Forever's gonna start tonight_

_(Forever's gonna start tonight)_

Standing back up, Piper was feeling slightly relieved that her song was nearing its end, which meant she would no longer have to feel trapped in the loneliest recesses of her mind.

_Once upon a time_

_I was falling in love_

_But now I'm only falling apart_

_There's nothing I can do_

_A total eclipse of the heart_

Suddenly, the world didn't seem so dark to Piper and she could see the familiar parts of T.U.F.F. headquarters coming back into view. A sigh of relief came out of her mouth to see it, but she knew that the reality of Aerrow not being with her would remain.

_Once upon a time there was light in my life_

_But now there's only love in the dark_

_Nothing I can say_

_A total eclipse of the heart_

The song was nearly finished and Piper looked up like she did before to find that last bit of hope, but all she saw around her was the emptiness of her existence.

_A total eclipse of the heart_

_A total eclipse of the heart_

_(Turn around, bright eyes)_

_(Turn around, bright eyes)_

_(Turn around)_

Everything returned back to the way it was, and all of a sudden a voice came over the hallway's intercom, almost startling the girl.

_"Agents, gather 'round in the main foyer!"_ said the Chief. _"We've just received some new intel about Azula, so I need you all here pronto!"_

The sound of footsteps pattering against the metal floor behind her caught the girl's attention and she saw Aerrow and Radarr racing down with a heightened pace. "C'mon, Piper!" said the boy. "We've gotta get there."

Piper nodded her head and said, "Right. I'm with you."

Even though the girl knew that she and her friend could not be together, she would try to make up for it by being close to him like they always did since she knew that their friendship was better than nothing. With her mind set, Piper ran down with Aerrow to get ready for their next mission.

* * *

><p>BlueTiger321: *sobs* Oh, man, what a sad chapter!<p>

Danny: Yeah. Thanks a lot for breaking me and June up!

June: It's probably for the best.

Danny: *gasps* How can you say that? *runs away crying*

June: Oh, Danny!

Piper: And how come you had to make my heart get smashed to pieces?

Aerrow: I'm sure there's a good reason for it all.

Piper: I'm going to pretend you didn't say that.

BlueTiger321: Well folks, like I said, I'm sorry for making all this stuff happen but it's how I'm making this story happen. So, please stay tuned for the next chapter when our heroes go up against Azula again. Until next time…

June: Read and review!


	8. Chapter 7: The Non Believers

Chapter 7: The Non-Believers

BlueTiger321: Well, after that depressing chapter, it's now time for our heroes to get back to their duties. And in case any of you were wondering, the story will get better in later chapters.

* * *

><p>As ordered by the Chief, the group gathered together in the main room to await their next mission. But immediately there was tension rising between certain members. In just a few short minutes things were perfectly fine, but then it all came toppling down when Danny acted out the way he was advised to June and she took it like she was to act as a slave for him. The result was the two of them getting into a heated argument and ending their relationship on the spot for the sake of saving their friendship, though they chose not to reveal it to the others until the opportune time would come.<p>

It was also during that time when nobody else was aware of Piper attempting to tell Aerrow her true feelings for him, but all she received was the implication that he saw her as a friend and nothing else. Although she was willing to accept the truth, Piper still couldn't get rid of the emptiness she felt of being dejected by the person she cared about the most.

All was quiet around the room until the Chief addressed the group. "Agents, we've just received word that Azula is up to another one of her ploys."

Keswick adjusted his glasses and looked at a few notes in his other hand. "According to the intel," he said, "Azula is going to start a r-r-r-rally that will be held at CN Square this afternoon. Supposedly, she intends to tell all the p-p-p-people about something that will lead into her grand scheme."

The Chief took over by saying, "Your next assignment is to go down to the Square and convince the citizens that Azula is nothing but trouble."

"Easier said than done," said Aang. "Azula's already got everyone hanging on to her every word, so how are we going to get them to change their minds?"

"What am I, the Chief?" It took the flea a few seconds to realize what he just said and he felt silly for saying it. "Oh, right, I am. Anyway, you've just gotta tell them that we're the real good guys here trying to protect them and that everything Azula's doing is for her own agenda."

"And no doubt she'll have her lackeys with her," said Finn, "which makes it even better for us, 'cause I'm in the mood for kickin' some butt."

Stork rolled his eyes in annoyance at the statement from his friend. "Oh, yeah, that's a good idea: beat the living snot out of punks working for the bad guy while we're trying to convince everyone we're good," he said in sarcasm. "It's a real pleasure to be working alongside you."

"Do you think Zuko will be there?" asked Katara.

All eyes were immediately on the girl upon noticing there was a bit of concern in her voice, like she was afraid of having to run into their former friend as well as having to fight against him.

Katara could feel the stares locking on to her like she had done a bad thing so she tried to think of a way to conceal her reasons. "I'm just… asking if you think he'll be with Azula when she's addressing the crowd." She knew that it didn't sound very convincing, but hopefully she thought it would be enough for them to stop giving her such judging glares.

"You're lying," said Toph with a smirk. "I could feel your heart pounding. You just don't want to have to face him, right?"

"Shut up," Katara said under her breath.

"Well, of course Zuko's gonna be there," said Sokka. "He's become Azula's right-hand man, so he goes wherever she goes. Well, I'm sure not _everywhere_, like the bathroom or the bedroom or—"

"We get the point, Sokka," said Kitty before turning back to the Chief. "We're on it, Chief! By the time we're done, the people of Toon City are bound to see the light."

"Good," said Keswick. "In the meantime, I'll continue to work on the cure for the T-T-Titan formula."

"Then let's get moving, team!" said Aerrow.

With their next assignment given, the group headed for the exit. It was during that time that Dudley walked up next to Danny with a confident smile on his face. The last time the dog saw the halfa was when Danny was about to tell his girlfriend about the next step of their relationship, and it would be the result of his advice. It had only been a few minutes, but he had to know how it worked out between the two of them, though he already had a good idea of how it went.

"So, Danny," said the dog, "how'd things work out with you and June? Is she officially yours now?"

Danny looked down in both shame and anger after being reminded of the horrible fight he had with June. It had been Dudley who had given him the advice in the first place, but then the ghost boy realized that he was the one who followed it so he had no one to blame but himself, which would mean that it wouldn't be right for him to take it out on the poor dog, especially since he didn't know what really happened.

"I don't want to talk about it," said Danny.

Acting slightly surprised by the statement, Dudley then showed some sympathy by showing a huge grin. "Hey, that's cool," he said, still oblivious. "Maybe another time. We've got some important stuff to do."

In response, Danny rolled his eyes in annoyance, hoping that Dudley would never ask him the question again. So onward he walked with the others to begin their mission.

* * *

><p>CN Square had become packed during the afternoon as practically every citizen in the city had gathered around by request from their leader. Though none of them had any idea why they were called to the spot, they figured that it was a matter of grave importance if it came from the person who was in charge of their city.<p>

Like any other important political event, a large stage stood before everyone with red curtains lining the back and pictures of Azula hanging down in front of them from each side. Sitting in the middle of the stage was a lectern that had a microphone at the top that was angled upward and connected to an array of speakers placed at the ends of the podium.

So everyone waited patiently for the reason why they were asked to come while chatting amongst themselves and having their own opinions about it, since it was all they could do to alleviate their boredom.

Suddenly, the curtain was raised and out walked Azula with Zuko behind her along with TYGER operatives that stepped down and placed themselves in front of the stage for crowd control. All of CN Square then filled with cheers as they were now watching their fabled leader stand before them with such a resplendent poise surrounding her. For Azula it was fabulous that the people she controlled adored her, but she would have to save it for later since she knew that her business was more important than anything else.

Walking up to the lectern, Azula raised her hands to bring the crowd down to a whisper. Then she cleared her throat and talked into the microphone, saying, "People of Toon City, I thank you for coming here, for I speak of something that I must inform you of.

"I have brought my ruling to you so that I may bring tranquility to our world. While it has taken a while for most of you to accept it, I am confident that everyone will see that I will usher in a new age of prosperity."

The crowd let out another wild cheer that implied they were showing their support for her like they were the choir and she was the conductor. And once again, Azula raised her hands to silence them as she was not finished with her speech.

"The problem is that there are those who refuse to adapt to the change, and therefore they are trying to bring me down. Now I am not implying that we should look at them in anger; far from it. If my ruling is to work, then everyone in the city must accept it. That is why I ask all of you, my dearest supporters, to join me in helping them see the light. What I propose is a grand event that will make the non-believers become our brothers. Tomorrow morning at six o'clock, I invite you all to come to the Toon City Dam and join me in a grand march throughout the city where we will show that my ruling is truly righteous!"

And just like it was before, CN Square echoed with cheers from the civilians as they were all supporting the idea from their leader. To them, it was the perfect way to make the so-called non-believers see they would be wrong to oppose the change that came on them, and best of all, it would be done in such a peaceful way.

Azula smiled at what she saw: the people she had wrapped around her finger clinging to every word she said as she expected, and hopefully the ones she despised the most would be compelled to arrive to such a grand event as this.

Zuko walked up to his sister with a congratulatory smile. "Well done, Azula," he said.

Azula slowly placed her hand above the microphone to keep the crowd from hearing her speak to her brother. "I know," she said. "This turned out better than I thought. Now I just have to wait and see if those fools will show up and make a scene."

As if on cue, someone shouted from the back of the crowd that stopped the cheering. "Liar!" said Aang.

The citizens all turned around to see the Avatar joined with his friends who all had enraged expressions on their faces. They all heard the speech from Azula and thought it was nothing but manipulative drivel that was meant to get anyone become a follower like a mindless servant, and it appeared to have worked—but not on them.

"Azula promises nothing for you except pain and suffering!" said Aerrow.

"We've seen what she's capable of doing, and it isn't pretty!" said Kitty.

"She's a conniving witch who only wants to control you like slaves!" said June. Under her breath, she then muttered to herself, "Just like somebody I know."

Danny heard what the girl said and narrowed her eyes angrily at her for bringing up their argument. "This is _not_ the time or place for that," he said.

"You started it."

Gritting his teeth and grunting at June's immature remark, Danny decided it wouldn't be worth it to explode in front of her for all their friends to see.

Aang got up front and said, "You're all making a huge mistake by following Azula and allowing her to lead you! A true leader would show compassion for their followers and she hasn't done anything that's even close to that! You've all got to stand up for your freedom!"

The crowd was suddenly getting riled by the disparaging words from the group that they now understood were the non-believers. It was then that they shouted out their own words to show they disagreed.

"Azula's a great leader!" shouted a man named Holland Novak.

"She's doing what's right for us, and you too!" shouted a woman named Dot Matrix.

"And if you can't accept that, then you should all crawl back under the rock you came from!" shouted a man named Luke fon Fabre.

The crowd then converged on the T.U.F.F. agents like they had become an unwanted parasite that needed to be removed quickly. Seeing that they were in trouble the group backed away as quickly as they could, knowing that they couldn't defend themselves against the people they were trying to protect. It soon became apparent to them that they were too late in trying to change their minds so they would have to retreat.

"Stop!" shouted Azula. And by her request, all the citizens stopped their advances and turned to look at her. "Remember what I said: we must not look at them in anger. I can understand that you're all upset, but this must be a peaceful time. If we are to attain the greatest balance for our city, then it has to be done with open arms. So don't turn them away. Let us show them that my leadership is for the good of all toon kind by beginning tomorrow's march!"

Like before, the crowd cheered at Azula's words, and Aerrow and the others all frowned in disappointment to see that she was once again using her ways to influence them.

"Well, this stinks," said Junko.

"I couldn't have said it better myself," said Sokka.

"So, now what do we do?" asked Finn.

"I'm afraid that we've failed the mission," replied Kitty. "We'll just have to go back and think of a new way to convince the people."

"As much as I hate to admit it," said Aerrow, "that's our only option. Let's go."

And so the group left CN Square with their heads filled with shame over their failed attempt to convince the civilians. Unbeknownst to them, Azula looked at them with a wicked smile as she knew that everything was falling into place just the way she wanted, so now it would be on to the next phase.

* * *

><p>The group walked back through the empty streets while feeling down about their recent failure. They felt lucky enough not to run into any of the civilians on their way back to the headquarters as well as any of the thugs hired by Azula, for they would have a difficult time getting back and coming up with a new strategy if they did.<p>

"I can't believe that this could happen," said Aang. "How did it get like this?"

"It's just one of those things that was beyond our control," replied Kitty.

"I'm not gonna like what the Chief has to say about this," said Dudley.

June joined in the conversation. "Azula really knows how to push everyone's buttons." Her attention then shifted over to Danny and she displayed a look of anger. "Maybe we should've let you tell them what to do, since that's all you want to do."

The remark made the ghost boy stop in his tracks, and the anger from June had passed on to him like an infectious disease. "That was uncalled for!" he exclaimed in protest. "I made an honest mistake, all right? Can't you just look past it for one second?"

The argument between the two had forced the others to stop and stare at them with worried expressions. Aerrow and the others knew well that the two were so perfect for each other, but seeing them fight like this made them feel like something had come between them.

"Sorry, but it's gonna take a lot more than that for me to forget," said June.

"Then what do you want me to do?" said Danny.

"Why don't you figure it out, 'cause you're so much better than me!"

"Oh, grow up, June!"

"I should be the one to tell you that!"

Aerrow had finally had enough. "Guys!" he said. "Why are you acting like this?"

"I'd say that June's probably very upset about something," said Piper, "not that you would notice."

The comment coming from the girl had forced the Sky Knight to turn around and look at her. "What's your problem?"

"Oh, well, it's just that whenever a girl is expressing her feelings, you seem to have your head in your ass."

Now Aerrow seemed to be catching the anger from his friends. "Are you implying that I'm stupid?"

"Well, you mustn't be if you were able to pick up on that. But yes, that's exactly what I was implying!"

"Then you're way out of line, 'cause I'm your Sky Knight, dammit!"

The two couples continued their arguments while the others watched with even more concerned looks, and all it was doing for them was making them feel uncomfortable and think if they continued like this then there would be no way that they could work together as a team and restore Toon City.

"Shouldn't we try to intervene?" said Katara.

"There's no way I'm getting in the middle of that," replied Sokka.

The arguments continued on while the others watched. Junko, out of boredom, looked behind and gasped with fright while his pupils narrowed into small dots. It was such a horrific sight that he dared to speak up during the quarrels between his friends.

"Uh, guys?" said the Wallop.

"What?" shouted the arguing couples.

Looking behind Junko, the others all looked with the same terrified expression as they all saw Azula gathered with Zuko, various Arkham thugs and TYGER operatives. But the most terrifying sight was one tall, muscular thug wearing only camouflage pants and linen strips on his feet. Numerous tattoos were placed around his body, including two penguins on his chest, a star over his stomach, and a skull on his left shoulder. Similar to one foe they faced, the man only had one arm, except that it was his right arm that was missing, and clutched in his left hand was a giant sickle, which earned him the nickname Sickle of the infamous Abramovici Twins.

The thugs armed themselves with bats, pipes and knives, while the TYGER operatives had riot shields and stun batons.

Finn gulped and said, "I think we've just been made."

Azula smirked devilishly and said, "So, we finally meet. I should've known that you would try to ruin my plans since you're all so righteous."

"You can never influence us, Azula!" said Aerrow. "As long as we're around, we'll keep fighting for the sake of our city from the likes of you!"

"Well then, I guess I'm going to have to change that." Turning to her followers, Azula then shouted, "Attack!"

The men under her rule charged forward while the T.U.F.F. agents all got into their fighting stances and prepared for battle.

"**Stop"**

**As Made Famous by Jane's Addiction**

(A/N: I should explain right now that I don't picture anyone singing this song; it's something I imagine that would be good as the music during a fight scene.)

Sickle started first by swinging around his weapon furiously. He spoke in a heavy Russian accent, saying, "I will slice you all to pieces!"

_Save the complaints_

_For a party conversation_

_The world is loaded_

_It's lit to pop and nobody is gonna stop..._

The T.U.F.F. agents ducked out of the way in time and each of them managed to get in front of either a thug or TYGER operative. It was then that the battle truly started for them.

_No one..._

_No one!_

Using their superior Bending skills, the Avatar's group took down each of their opponents easily with blasts of air, water, earth and fire, sometimes making more than one hit in order to render them unconscious. But the TYGER operatives were more heavily-armoured and better equipped than their allies, and they were also trained for this line of work. The ones holding riot shields were able to defend themselves and counter by rushing in, forcing Aang and the others to move back while more thugs and Sickle advanced on them.

_No way!_

_Gonna stop_

_Now; go!_

The Storm Hawks went next and put their combat skills to the test. Junko's mammoth strength allowed him to plow through waves of enemies while Aerrow, Piper and Finn stepped in to take care of the stragglers. Everything was going well for them until Stork looked up and yelped in a panic as Sickle jumped in to attack with his weapon swinging down.

It was then that the Storm Hawks all dodged the attack by rolling to either side just as the sickle crashed down onto the pavement and made a huge crack.

Sickle looked up with a brash smile while he looked at his foes with amusement, because fighting was what gave him joy along with watching helpless victims squirm. "This is too easy," he said. "I beat you with one hand!" The man then laughed at his own joke.

_Farm people_

_Book wavers, soul savers_

_Love preachers!_

_Lit to pop and nobody is gonna stop_

Danny and June were about to strike in succession but then they realized that it would mean they would have to work together. Rather than that—especially after having a furious argument before—they looked away from each other and dealt with their own enemies by themselves.

But Dudley and Kitty fought together gloriously. With their combined might, they used it to break through the enemy's defenses. Kitty extended her claws and cut through many of the thug's bats where she followed up by sweeping her leg along the ground to knock the men off their feet, and Dudley took care of TYGER operatives by easily flipping over them to avoid the shocks from their batons and delivering a good punch to their backs. They were truly showing off their skills as T.U.F.F. agents.

_No one..._

Azula saw that her forces were being outmatched, so she decided to even the odds by joining the battle along with Zuko. The girl chose her closest target, which happened to be Katara, so she ran over to her and left Zuko to choose whichever target he wanted. Jumping high into the air, Azula came down with a fireball on the end of her heel.

Katara had finished off a thug just as she saw a blue light from above. It only took her a second to realize that it was Azula about to strike her down, so she brought out more water from her carrier and formed it into a shield in front of her. The blue flame hit the water and was extinguished just as Azula landed back on the asphalt and faced Katara with a wicked grin on her face.

"I'll make you pay for all you've put us through!" said Katara.

"Oh, now you shouldn't have to do that," Azula said in fake concern. "You'll only get yourself burned."

Feeling enraged, Katara released a blast of water that was countered by a fire blast from Azula's palm. The true test of strength and mettle would begin.

_One come a day, the water will run_

_No man will stand for things that he had done..._

_Hurrah!_

_And the water will run..._

By that time every TYGER operative and lower class thug had been taken out by the others, and all they saw was Sickle getting ready for another charge and Azula fighting with Katara.

"We've gotta help her!" said Aerrow. He knew that Katara was a good fighter, but she would be outnumbered by the one-armed giant aiding Azula, so he and the others would have to act quickly.

Just as they were about to rush in to the rescue, a fire blast came from the right and scorched the street in front of them, forcing them to stop in their tracks. They all looked to see that it was Zuko who fired the shot and he had a look on his face that showed he would be determined to do whatever it took to keep them from going any farther.

"So I guess it's true," said Danny. "You're our enemy after all."

"I can't let you interfere," said Zuko. "If you want to help Katara, you'll have to go through me."

Aang quickly blew away the flames by shooting air from his palms and allowed the others to battle with their former friend with heavy hearts. It would be difficult for them, but they wouldn't let anyone stand in their way when it came to helping their friend.

_One come a day, the water will run_

_No man will stand for things that he had done..._

_Hurrah!_

_And the water will run..._

Dudley, on the other hand, wasn't going to allow any of this madness to escalate. He quickly glanced to his left and saw that Katara was barely able to defend herself against Azula and managed to dodge just as Azula tried to punch the girl in her abdomen. But what Katara couldn't see was that Sickle was already behind her with his weapon held high and ready to strike at any moment.

_Will run!_

The dog had to think of a way to save the girl but knew that he wouldn't be able to reach her in time. That's when he looked down and saw Radarr at his feet. An idea had come to him so he faced the furry co-pilot with an enlightened expression.

"Hey, little dude," said Dudley. "Want to help me help Katara?"

Radarr looked up and chirped in a happy tone to respond.

"Now that's what I like to hear!" said Dudley, obviously understanding what the chirp meant.

Getting straight into action, Dudley picked up Radarr by his collar and sent him soaring low through the air in the direction of Sickle.

_Will run!_

Katara blocked another fireball from Azula but then heard cackling coming from behind her in a low voice. It forced her to turn around and gasp in fright to see that Sickle snuck up on her and already had her trapped. The surprise was so overwhelming that she had no time to summon any water to assist her, and any attempt she would make to dodge would make her an easy target for Azula. All seemed lost for the girl, so she did nothing but stay in her spot and await her horrible fate.

"Bye-bye!" said Sickle and swung down his weapon.

All of a sudden, Sickle stopped what he was doing and shouted in pain as he felt something sharp digging into his heel. Looking down at his feet, he grunted furiously to see that Radarr had bitten him. The man was now focused on his new target for interrupting him, so he got his sickle ready but never got the chance to attack when a blow came to the back of his head.

"Hi-Gi-Gi!" shouted Dudley as he leapt through the air and hit Sickle with a flying punch.

Sickle was stunned by the attack and stumbled around long enough for Dudley to rush in and continue his beatdown by unleashing a series of punches all around the man's body. Given the dog's training as a T.U.F.F. agent, the attacks caused some serious damage and forced Sickle to his knees.

Katara watched the whole scene with Radarr and were amazed by the sheer display of Dudley's strength, but then they screamed as Azula tried to fire another jet of flame. But Katara was ready for the girl, and so she countered with a water blast that broke through the fire and hit Azula in the chest to knock her several feet away on her back.

_Gimme that!_

_Gimme that - your automobile_

_Turn off that smokestack_

_And that goddamn radio_

_Hum... along with me..._

_Hum along with the T.V._

Back with the others, they tried to withdraw from the battle with Zuko after they all saw that Katara was safe and Dudley dealing with Sickle. The intense flames that he fired were blocked by Aang and Toph bringing up earth from the street to create a wall in front of them. But Zuko managed to find an opening and sent a fireball right at June.

The Te Xuan Ze gasped as she would be severely burned from the attack and had no time to get out of the way, and that's when Danny came in and touched the girl to make them both go intangible, causing the fireball to harmlessly pass through them.

_No one's_

_Gonna_

By that time, Dudley had just finished off Sickle by grabbing him by the shoulders and using him as leverage to send himself in a backflip through the air and come down with both feet extended on the man's head to knock him into the asphalt. The one-armed giant had been taken down along with all his comrades.

_Stop!_

Zuko knew that he was defeated, so he chose this time to turn his back on the others and head over to tend to his sister where he knew he was needed most.

The danger was over and Danny went tangible again along with June. Immediately the girl felt her heart racing as she narrowly avoided getting reduced to ashes and she happily smiled at the ghost boy for his bravery and quick-thinking.

"Thanks, Danny," she said.

"No problem," the boy said back.

And that's when the two remembered that they still had contempt for each other, so they turned away while not revealing their own angered faces.

"I could've done it by myself!" said June.

"I know, but I felt like doing it!" said Danny.

"You mean just like you felt like telling me to be your slave?"

"You're impossible, you know that?"

So the two paced away from each other while leaving their anger intact, but inside they were feeling like they had just made a mistake by saying those awful things. June especially felt miserable for taking away her gratitude when she knew she shouldn't have, and now she thought she would make things worse between her and Danny.

Aerrow got up to face his friends and said what was important. "Let's get out of here before something else bad happens, be it between us or from Azula."

Already feeling tired from their fight, no one argued with the red-haired teen's statement, so they all ran with him back to their hideout.

It wasn't long after the group left when Azula stood up and smiled at what she had accomplished. What she had done would finally let her finish her plan without further interruption, and she also knew that it wouldn't be long until the group would pay for their meddling as well.

"Is something wrong, Azula?" asked Zuko.

"No," she replied. "I'm only thinking about what to do next."

* * *

><p>BlueTiger321: And so ends another chapter that shows a mystery. What will happen next? Stay tuned to find out, so please, be sure to read and review!<p> 


	9. Chapter 8: Hostile Takeover

Chapter 8: Hostile Takeover

BlueTiger321: So now that our heroes have come out of an impromptu fight, will they be able to keep it together and take back their city? If you've seen the title of this chapter, then you should know what's about to happen next. Enjoy!

* * *

><p>The group stood in T.U.F.F. headquarters after escaping from Azula's forces. It was supposed to be a mission where they were to convince the citizens of Toon City to stop listening to Azula and finally accept the truth, but regrettably, it ended in failure. The words of the dictator still kept the people as her followers while she made the T.U.F.F. agents become branded as anti-government criminals.<p>

The loss was truly crushing for them, not because they couldn't get anyone to listen to them, but also because it drew out hostility between them. Danny and June could no longer contain their anger from the fight they had before the mission began and it affected how well they worked together with their friends. Piper also showed her resentment for Aerrow since he ignored her advances; it was because she couldn't lie to herself anymore and all her restrained feelings suddenly burst like an erupting volcano.

Everyone kept to themselves while standing in random spots in the main room of T.U.F.F. headquarters. Nobody wanted to explain what happened during the mission to the Chief, so the flea decided to extract the information out of someone. The monitor on his platform turned to the right to pick the closest agent, which happened to be Kitty.

"So, what happened out there?" asked the Chief. "Did you guys do it or not?"

Kitty was reluctant to tell the truth, but the Chief directly asked her a question and she couldn't refuse. Sighing in sadness she said, "I'm sorry, Chief, but we failed the mission. No matter how hard we tried, nobody would listen to us. What's worse is that Azula has made us look like we're the bad guys in all of this. I don't know how we'll save the city now."

"Well, that's easy; we just keep trying even without the support of our fellow citizens! We're T.U.F.F. agents, and we've accomplished things in far worse situations than this!"

"Still, it would've helped if our message had reached someone," said Aang.

Sokka spoke up to add his own thoughts. "What I don't understand is why Azula held that rally in the first place. She's got the whole city under her belt and she wants them to gather to create a march? Something about it just doesn't add up."

"You're right," said Katara. "Do you think maybe it has something to do with that formula we seized last night?"

"Who knows?" replied Stork. "But why does it even matter when our fate has already been sealed?"

A long groan came from everyone's mouth upon hearing the Merb's pessimistic statement. They were all so tired from having to fight that none of them were even going to comment on what he said since it was obvious that nothing would change his mind anyway.

"You know what would've made the mission go a lot smoother?" said June. "If someoneactually came up with a decent strategy!"

The only one who responded was Danny, and he did not take too kindly to it. "Well, you were no help either!" he said.

"I wasn't talking to you. But now that you bring it up, you really could've contributed to our plan, but you were too busy being the pigheaded jerk you are!"

"_I'm_ pigheaded? As I recall, you spent most of the time whining like a stuck-up brat!"

"Hey, it's not my fault that you tried to impose your misogynistic views on me!"

"I never thought they were; it was you who did!"

Aerrow stepped in to mediate, feeling that all the constant shouting and name-calling was starting to affect the others. "Guys, calm down! We can't be arguing in a time like this."

"I say let them duke it out," said Piper.

The Sky Knight was taken aback by the statement. "What?" he exclaimed. "How can you say something like that? I mean, I can expect it from Finn, but not you."

"That's true," added Finn.

"I've got this whole new perspective," said Piper. "If nobody cares about me, why should I care about them?"

Piper then coolly looked at her fingernails to show that she was now having no care whatsoever. The others didn't seem to take offense, but Aerrow already picked up that her concern about anything was slowly beginning to diminish, and he feared that the Piper he knew would be gone forever.

"But that's not true," said Aerrow. "We all care about you."

"Oh, Aerrow, you're once again so oblivious to what I'm saying. When are you ever going to get it through your thick head?"

The red-haired teen took it as an insult and he looked at the girl with the same feeling that Danny and June had for each other. "Okay, now that's going too far!"

"Enough!" shouted the Chief. It was so loud that it echoed in the room and made everyone stare at the screen to see the flea had a dissatisfying face for having to hear the arguments. "What the hell's the matter with you people? If you can't get your act together, then how can we ever hope to stop Azula?"

June calmed down somewhat but was still fuming through her nostrils. She knew that the Chief was right: it would be impossible to save the city if she kept fighting with Danny the whole time, but she was so angry that she couldn't control herself. June made a pact to herself right then and there that she would have to spend some time for herself if she would get to work efficiently with the others again.

"I need to step outside for a bit," said the Te Xuan Ze. While she made her way for the exit, she couldn't help but shout out another insult. "The idiocy in here is killing me."

Danny wasn't going to let her walk away smugly after hearing that. "Hey," he said, "and while you're outside, maybe you can go find the Wizard and ask him to give you a heart!"

"And I'll ask him to give you a brain!" June shouted back before exiting.

The halfa grunted in fury as he watched June leave through the main exit, and in his mind he felt that it was necessary in order to let their tempers cool down. The part of him that wanted to get back with June kept telling him that it would be a slow process that must be taken with great care, or else it would all be for nothing. Soon his anger was gone and he looked down at the floor in shame for all the things he said to the girl.

Kitty looked concerned for the well-being of the girl, so she turned to the others and said, "I should go after her. The streets could be crawling with Azula's men and she'd be in no condition to defend herself." And with that, the cat-woman left the room to go after June with the determination to be by her side through the difficult time.

Piper could see that people were leaving for their own sake, so she suddenly got the same idea. "I think I need to go clear my head, too," she said. "Don't ask me why." Like June and Kitty before her, Piper rushed out to the exit in order to give herself space.

But Aerrow already could tell that his friend looked distressed, and somehow, he thought, it was because of him. It was then he made up his mind of trying to find Piper and talk to her both as a duty of being a Sky Knight and being her friend, no matter what she said. Nodding to the others, he walked out towards the exit with Radarr following close behind him.

The group was now getting smaller as time passed. Danny paced back and forth in the room to get the bad thoughts out of his head, but everywhere he looked he could see June's angry face staring back at him since seeing his friends all around him reminded him of her. He held his head in his hands while trying to fight back the thoughts, sometimes closing his eyes and opening them to see if it was all just a dream, but the moment he opened them he saw that it was real.

"I gotta get out of here!" said Danny. He ran for the exit and still tried his best to get the images of June out of his head.

Dudley looked at the ghost boy leaving and suddenly took it upon himself to go after him. "Hey, Danny, wait up!" he said before running after the boy.

The ones who were left in the room all looked around oddly to find that their friends had left for their own reasons. It made them all feel left out for not getting involved; whether it was a good thing or a bad thing was still a mystery.

"Well, this is awkward," said Toph.

"Shouldn't we go after them?" said Katara.

"Let 'em go," said the Chief. "Whatever this is, they need to work it out by themselves."

* * *

><p>Danny had made it to the room of the dilapidated house that served as the cover for T.U.F.F. headquarters. From where he stood in the darkness of the night he could see rain was falling and splashing against the broken windows and sometimes ending up inside to make small puddles, and he felt that it suited his mood perfectly since he was down about his behaviour towards June. After everything he had said to the girl he still loved, he wished that he could take it all back and go back to the way things were when he wasn't so worried about the future and enjoyed what he already had. Seeing it from that perspective made him realize that he never knew what he had until it was gone.<p>

The secret entrance opened up behind him and out walked Dudley. The dog came up wagging his tail like he was expecting something to happen, but what he saw was Danny secluded in the darkness with a face that revealed he was being tormented from some unseen force.

"Hey, Danny," said Dudley, "what's happening between you and June? Everything Zen?"

Danny turned around while wiping away a tear from his eye and said, "I don't think so. The girl I love completely hates me because I took your advice."

"What?" Dudley said disbelievingly. "That can't be. I told you that every girl wants—"

"Shut up!" shouted Danny. "I'm sure that it works for Kitty, but I should've realized that June isn't like every other girl! She's one of a kind and I drove her away because of my selfish act!"

Dudley was left speechless by the outburst, knowing that Danny had to get whatever was off his chest for his own good. After taking in a few deep breaths, the halfa turned away from the dog and continued his rant.

"I was so focused on what I wanted that I completely ignored what she wanted. It's no wonder why she hates me. I should've just been myself instead of trying to be someone I'm not."

Seeing that Danny was silent afterwards, Dudley said, "Hey, c'mon now. I'm sure that she won't stay mad at you forever, and then you can make it up to her."

"But what if it's already too late? You saw what happened. We were practically at each other's throats. And even if I do get another chance with June, what would happen if I screw it up again?"

"You won't, because you learned from your mistakes."

Danny turned to look at the dog with sadness in his eyes. Although the words were comforting for him, he knew that it was already too late and he would have to live with the fact of knowing that he was the cause of the breakup. "Somehow," he said, "it doesn't feel that way."

Walking to the door, Danny opened it up and walked out into the street, not having a care from the rain soaking his clothes or his hair.

Dudley looked surprised by the act and ran out to chase after the boy who was already halfway down the street. "Danny!" he called.

The dog and the ghost boy had left the building as Kitty, June, Aerrow, Piper and Radarr had done before them. Not long after they left, a figure stepped out from the shadows while holding a device in his hands. The shadows concealed his form but the glow from the device was enough to illuminate his masked face with a steady green flash.

The figure turned his back to see his followers all clothed the same as he was, except for one in the back dressed in a red robe. "We've found it," he said.

* * *

><p>Back inside T.U.F.F. headquarters, the rest of the group was still up to nothing because of seeing their friends leave for their own personal reasons. They were so distraught by the reactions of their friends that none of them knew where they would go next in order to restore Toon City.<p>

Katara stared at the exit with her eyes showing deep concern. "I wonder when they'll get back," she said.

"I'm sure it'll be soon," said Keswick.

"Yeah," said Aang. "It's not like they've abandoned us or anything."

"And when they do get back," said Sokka, "everything will be all right."

No sooner had the teenage boy said those words when an explosion came from the exit that violently shook the entire headquarters. The result was smoke filling the hall and the alarms being activated with a constant buzzing sound and flashing red lights. When the shaking stopped, everyone was left aghast at the strange occurrence.

"What's going on?" Stork said in a panic.

"Our defenses have been breached," replied Keswick, "which can only mean that someone has f-f-f-found our hideout!"

"But that's impossible!" said the Chief.

"Oh, I beg to differ," said another voice.

The others were shocked to hear the familiar tone, and they heard it from behind the smoke. From within the cover of the smoke they could also hear the sound of several footsteps, and out ran an army of TYGER operatives all armed with assault rifles, stun batons and riot shields. Seeing them meant that only one person was responsible for their arrival and she came strutting out from behind her team in sheer arrogance.

"Azula!" Aang shouted angrily. "How'd you find us?"

Azula emitted a short chuckle and tossed her hair to the side like the question seemed unworthy of answering. "Well, it's because one of you lead me right to here." When she said it, her eyes were fixated on Katara.

The young Waterbender was perplexed by the stare until she looked down and saw a strange object attached to the underside of her water carrier. It was a small black dot that was so miniscule that it could only be seen from up close. Katara removed it from her carrier and revealed it to the others that left them all gasping.

"A tracking device? But how?" said Finn.

"Azula must've put it on me when we were fighting." Katara then crushed the tracking device between her fingers and broke it, even though it was already pointless.

"That's right," said Azula. "And now that I've found you, I'm going to put an end to your interference once and for all. If you comply with me, then I promise that you won't get hurt… much!"

The Chief gritted his teeth as he knew that his team was outnumbered against Azula's army, because most of the agents at T.U.F.F. were already out on other assignments while the new recruits were left by themselves, but he could never surrender to the likes of evildoers. "We'll never go quietly with you, Azula!" he said. "If you want us, then come and get us!"

Junko looked nervously at the army along with Stork. The sheer size was so nerve-wracking that they had no idea what to do.

"Uh, are you sure that's such a good idea?" said the Wallop. "I've got no problem with going with them."

"Me either," said the Merb.

"Why don't you two grow a pair and help us take them out?" Finn said angrily.

Azula chuckled at the Chief's reply, knowing that it was the way she wanted. "Very well, then," she said. "But, you know, it was futile to stand against me in the first place. When I take control, it should be clear that no one will ever be able to oppose me for I am supreme."

"**Writing's on the Wall"**

**As Made Famous by The Tea Party**

Azula ordered her troops to advance just as the T.U.F.F. agents also rushed in to commence the battle. It was then that the wicked girl showed her point through song.

_When it bends you try to walk a straight line_

_Something more for less and in the meantime_

_It changes shape and shifts; it takes you over_

_It's just a warning sign_

Finn managed to knock a rifle out of a TYGER operatives hands only to be shocked in the back by one who held a stun baton, causing the blonde marksmen to fall to the floor convulsing as his muscles suffered the electrical shock.

_Because the writing's on the wall_

_The writing's on the wall_

Stork was completely surrounded by TYGER operatives and they all pointed their rifles at him. Seeing that it was hopeless to fight his way out, the Merb held up his hands and said, "I surrender!"

One man then knocked Stork on the head with the end of his rifle, causing the Merb's eyes to roll in their sockets before he slipped into unconsciousness. The man laughed at his cruel act and didn't care if he caused pain since it was all part of his job.

_You make a deal you swear that it's the last time_

_No sudden moves or else your soul will be mine_

_And when you dance you're dancing with the devil_

_It's just a warning sign..._

_You're running out of time_

Toph brought up a section of the metal floor to act as a shield and to use for combat. Azula saw that it was happening, so she quickly used her Firebending to summon the most powerful and deadly form: lightning.

When Azula was done, she fired the bolt and struck Toph's makeshift shield, sending the lightning to be conducted through the metal while the blind girl's hands were still attached to it. The result of the attack was Toph screaming at the top of her lungs and falling into the arms of a TYGER operative who immediately seized her when she was knocked out cold.

_You can't relate, you still escape_

_Because you think you've seen it all_

_You're right on time until you find_

_They've just been waiting for the fall_

Junko used his mighty strength to punch away the operatives that came at him, and he was able to double his strength by using his Knuckle Busters. But no matter how many men he punched away, more of them kept coming until he was finally outmatched by their numbers. The Wallop then shouted as TYGER operatives piled on top of him to subdue him. He tried to break free when an assault rifle was pointed right at his face, and so he looked down in defeat as he knew that there was no way out.

_Because the writing's on the wall_

_The writing's on the wall_

The Chief looked on worriedly as one by one his agents were being defeated by Azula's army. His fear was soon replaced by anger for his desire to help them suddenly became clear.

"I've got to do something!" said the Chief.

Azula continued her song while the fighting resumed.

_When it bends you try to walk a straight line_

_Something more for less and in the meantime_

_It changes shape and shifts; it takes you over_

_It's just a warning sign_

Aang blasted away a wave of TYGER operatives with a strong gust of air that made them collide into the wall where they slouched in pain. He was about to finish them off when he heard a cry.

"Help!" said Sokka.

The Avatar turned around to see that his friend was terrified as he was held in place by one TYGER operative while another aimed his rifle at the boy's head. Aang was too far away to save him, and he knew that any attempt at Bending would be too late as the man would already shoot Sokka before anything could happen. Just then, Aang let out an agonizing scream as a stun baton struck him in the back by a man who snuck up on him. Before Aang's body went limp, he saw that the two men who captured Sokka placed handcuffs on him while they laughed at their victory.

_You can't relate, you still escape_

_Because you think you've seen it all_

_You're right on time until you find_

_They've just been waiting for the fall_

Keswick, like Stork, was also surrounded and shook from fear at what the TYGER operatives were going to do to him. Seeing that he was defenseless and out of options, he held up his hands and said, "I s-s-s-s-surrender!"

The TYGER operatives laughed at the creature's cowardice and immediately placed him in handcuffs.

_The writing's on the wall_

_The writing's on the wall_

_It's seven-hundred stories tall_

_The writing's on the wall_

The Chief finally had enough, so he came in shouting as he flew through the air with his foot extended to strike down someone, and his closest target happened to be Azula. He could see that he was getting close and could feel that victory was within his grasp, but then a TYGER operative came up with a riot shield to protect his master.

The Chief screamed as he headed straight for the shield where he face planted into it and fell to the floor. Feeling dizzy, he stood up and stumbled around until he saw that he was surrounded by plastic. Due to his size and limited strength, the Chief was unable to break through it or lift it up.

"Curses!" said the Chief. "How did you know that my greatest weakness was the plastic cup?"

Azula smirked at the flea for being so easily defeated. She saw that Katara was the only one who hadn't been captured and she was handling herself quite well against the TYGER operatives as most of them had been frozen or blasted by water. Azula's face was filled with delight as she was going to take down the last one standing just as her song was nearing its end.

_Take your time; it's a state of mind_

_Take your time just until you find_

_Take your time; it's a state of mind_

Katara slammed a TYGER operative into the floor with her Water Whip when she noticed that Azula was getting closer to her. It was now down to her to take care of the girl responsible for breaching T.U.F.F.'s defenses and taking out her friends. She was so full of rage that she immediately sent all the water she had left straight for Azula without even thinking.

Azula already knew that her opponent's state of mind was impaired, so she sent out a huge fireball from her fist that broke through the water and continued going.

Katara gasped and held up her hands as she was knocked back by the fireball and went straight into a wall where she fell unconscious like the others.

_The writing's on the wall_

_The writing's on the wall_

_It's seven-hundred stories tall_

_The writing's on the wall_

The song was over just as all the T.U.F.F. agents were defeated. Azula then let out a maniacal laugh as her plan succeeded.

"The area has been secured, Master," said a TYGER operative.

Azula silenced her laugh and faced her follower with a wicked smile. "Good," she said. "Now then, find the Titan formula and put these worms into prison! We must make haste if my plan is to be executed on time."

"Yes, ma'am!"

The TYGER operatives then rushed out to perform their duties, leaving Azula by herself with the captured T.U.F.F. agents. Now she knew that no one would stand in her way from achieving her ultimate goal.

* * *

><p>BlueTiger321: Oh no! Most of our heroes have now been taken prisoner by Azula!<p>

Azula: Yes, and now nobody can stand in my way!

Katara: Help us!

Azula: Quiet! *blasts fire into the air*

Katara: O_OU

BlueTiger321: Well folks, we know that it's not over, 'cause there's still hope for them, so stay tuned for the next exciting chapter. Until next time…

Katara: Read and review.

Azula: I said quiet! *blasts more fire into the air*

Katara: O_OU


	10. Chapter 9: Infiltration

Chapter 9: Infiltration

BlueTiger321: Hi, everyone, and welcome to the next chapter. So, Azula managed to find T.U.F.F. headquarters and capture our heroes. But, she didn't get _all of them_. Now let's find out how they'll be able to get out of this mess.

* * *

><p>Aerrow and Radarr walked through the streets heading back to T.U.F.F. headquarters. After spending a long time trying to find Piper, it was to no avail as they were unable to locate her. So onward they walked back, feeling the only stroke of luck they encountered was that the rain had finally stopped.<p>

As they walked, the red-haired teen tried to figure out what made his friend so angry at him: Was it something he said or did to her that made her act that way, or was it something completely out of the ordinary? Either way, Aerrow would make sure that he would work on his relationship to Piper to get her back to her usual self, the person he knew and cherished—but it wouldn't work if she never came back.

The two Storm Hawks were within distance of T.U.F.F. headquarters when they stopped and smelled the air, noticing a foul stench that made them want to seal their noses shut.

"Oh, man!" said Aerrow. "Is that the smell of wet dog?"

Radarr shifted his eyes to his left and chirped when he saw that two others were coming. Aerrow turned his head in the direction his co-pilot was looking and smiled when Danny and Dudley came into view. Now, he figured, he wouldn't have to feel down quite as much.

"Hey, guys," said Aerrow. "Glad to see you back here."

The halfa and the dog walked up to the Sky Knight and his co-pilot with haste. They were eager to see if Aerrow was able to do his soul-searching while he was outside and away from the others, just like Danny did.

"Hey, Aerrow. Hey, Radarr," said Danny. "I'm sorry that I worried you and everyone else so much. I just had to get out and cool down for a bit."

Dudley stood next to the boy with a look of pride and said, "Yeah, but no worries. I was with him every step of the way! Danny's got it under control now."

"That's good to hear," said Aerrow.

Danny then looked at the Sky Knight with a questioning look. "So, why did you leave anyway? I mean, I know that you and Piper were arguing, but what's the problem?"

In response, Aerrow scratched the back of his head and looked down at his boots like a shy child. "I have no idea," he said. "I was looking everywhere for Piper to see why she was so upset, but I never managed to find her. I just wish I knew what it was and try to say something that would make it all better."

It was then that Radarr rolled his eyes in annoyance and let out a series of chirps as if to answer his friend's problem.

"Ooh," Dudley said surprisingly. "Now that's gotta be pretty hard."

Aerrow looked at the two confusingly. "What?" he asked.

"The little dude said that you've been ignoring Piper's advances, and that it's because you've been too focused on saving Toon City." Dudley then crossed his arms to show his disappointment. "C'mon. You seriously haven't been picking up on them? Have you even had the same feelings yourself?"

Shifting his eyes back in forth, Aerrow said, "Well, I, uh… haven't really given it that much thought." But in his mind, he knew that he had given it a great deal of thought but never truly had the courage to reveal them to his friend. He let out a sigh as if he was admitting defeat. "But if she never wants to see me again then I would completely understand, because now I know why."

"Wow," said Danny. "I gotta say: my problem seems kind of petty when compared to yours."

Aerrow narrowed his eyes at the halfa. "If that's supposed to make me feel better, it's not working. But I hope I do find Piper and tell her how I really feel."

"What's that?" said another voice.

The red-haired teen smiled when he recognized who it was. He turned his back and saw that it was indeed Piper who had returned. A sense of relief came over him to see his friend and he noticed that she no longer looked angry, which meant that she was ready to return to her senses and stay with everyone on their mission. But Aerrow knew that there was something else important; even the mission would have to wait.

"Hey, Piper," said the Sky Knight. "Listen, I'm sorry about our fighting earlier, and I just want you to know that I understand why you felt so upset and—"

"Hold on," said the girl. "Here come June and Kitty."

Aerrow then heard footsteps in the distance and turned to see that it was June and Kitty returning. Frowning, he thought that what he was going to say to Piper would have to wait, and he knew that it wouldn't be hard for she was able to put up with his ignorance for so long.

Danny looked at June while anxiety took hold of him. This time, for the good of his friendship with the girl and the others, he was going to start things off on the right foot, but he was also going to take it slow. "Hi, June," he said. "How are you feeling?"

"A little better," replied the Te Xuan Ze. "I'm still a little peeved, but I can handle it."

"Good, good," said the ghost boy. He looked down, knowing that it was still going to be some time until they would be on good speaking terms again.

Kitty walked past everyone else to head for the building while still keeping her eyes on them. "Well, as long as it won't interfere with our mission anymore, I'm satisfied," she said. "So now let's get back inside and get it underway."

Just then, the cat approached the front door and stopped in place, seeing that the door lied splintered on the floor. It made her suspicious so she followed into the building and let out a horrified gasp that caught the attention of those still outside.

"Kitty, what's wrong?" said Dudley.

Without getting an answer, the others all rushed into the building to join Kitty, and there they all let out the same gasp she did. The floor of the building where the entrance to T.U.F.F. headquarters led looked to have been blown open as the metal plates lay in twisted wreckage with a huge scorch mark lining the floorboards. None of them wanted to know what happened inside but they had no choice, so they all walked down in silence.

They entered the main room of T.U.F.F. headquarters and stopped to see that the walls and floors had been dented and blackened by scorch marks while the monitors in the back of the room had been smashed.

"I don't believe it," said Aerrow. "It looks like a hurricane swept through here!"

"Yeah," said Piper. "Hurricane Azula, I'll bet."

"This must've happened while we were out," said Dudley.

June suddenly felt distressed that the other members of their group were in trouble, and so she called out, "Aang? Katara? Anybody?" But no one responded.

"Azula must've captured them all," said Danny. "But what I don't get is how she managed to find this place."

Kitty narrowed her eyes and ran off to a separate room to check on a hunch. It wasn't long until she let out another gasp and returned to the others, saying, "The Titan formula's gone, too!"

Aerrow felt Radarr cling to his legs the instant that Kitty said those words and the Sky Knight knew that Azula having possession over the formula and holding his friends captive was a bad sign.

"If only we had stayed…" said Piper.

"I don't think it would've helped," said Aerrow. "Judging by the amount of carnage here, there seemed to be a huge number of Azula's men. So even if we did stay, we would've been captured along with everyone else."

"Well then, what are we waiting for?" said Danny. "It's time we put aside our disputes and go rescue our friends!"

Everyone agreed with the halfa's logic, so they all rushed out of T.U.F.F. headquarters and back into the streets in an instant. Their will to find their friends gave them a rush of adrenaline that coursed through their veins to give them what they needed most—speed. But June suddenly stopped when a thought came to her.

"Wait!" she said, forcing the others to halt. "We don't know where they are."

The realization hit the others and made them feel disheartened. Kitty perked up her head when she saw in the corner of her eye one of Joker's former goons walking down the street by himself.

"No," the cat said slyly, "but I think we may have found someone who does." Turning to her partner, Kitty gave him a quick nod.

Dudley nodded back and leapt high into the air and shouted, "Hi-Gi-Gi!" His body soon turned into a blur as he came down with his rear extended to the man.

A shout came from the thug when Dudley landed on top of his head to slam him into the sidewalk. Seeing that their target was down, the others all rushed over to the spot. Dudley held one of the henchman's hands back while Aerrow grabbed the other. The man was then forced up to show that his nose was dripping blood and a tooth had been knocked out. He looked at the group with deep hatred for ambushing him so easily and he saw that they all stared at him with the same contempt he felt.

"Where are our friends?" Kitty demanded.

The thug spat on the ground, making the group think that was his response, but then he said, "Kiss my ass! I ain't tellin' you jack!"

June unleashed her anger on the man by grabbing his shirt collar and pulling him in close. "Listen, jerkwad! We're gonna get the information out of you, one way or another!"

"Go ahead!" said the man. "There's no way you're ever gonna break me!"

* * *

><p>A while afterwards, the man was yelling at the top of his lungs as he was held upside-down by his leg from the top of a building. The view of looking down at the street gave him vertigo that made him feel like he was going to vomit if he was going to be held like that for much longer. "Help me!" he shouted.<p>

June used her heightened strength to keep a firm grasp on the man's leg, and she twisted her face into a cruel smile as she momentarily let her grip slip. The man shouted once more when he thought it was the end for him, but then June grabbed his leg at the ankle to stop him.

The others all looked down at the man to cast him the same glance they did before. Wanting to know where their friends had been taken made them take such a drastic measure that would ultimately pay off.

"C'mon, please pull me up!" cried the man.

"Not until you tell us what we want to know!" said Kitty. "Now where did Azula take our friends?"

"I don't know!"

Aerrow looked down and slammed his fist against the brick wall, ignoring the pain. "Don't lie to us, you son of a bitch! When we found you, you said"—he then made air quotations with his fingers—"'I ain't tellin' you jack', so that means you do know where they are! Now tell us, or you'll be taking a five storey plunge into the pavement!"

The man whimpered and knew that he could no longer hide the truth. "Okay, okay!" he said. "The boss lady said that if we ever found any troublemakers in the city, we were s'pposed ta take 'em to the abandoned prison on Abbey Road! If she's got your friends, then they're prob'ly there!" Looking down again, the man shouted and felt himself wetting his pants. "That's all I know, I swear! Now please pull me up!"

Both Aerrow and Kitty felt the information was trustworthy, so they both nodded to June who took it as a sign to pull up the man. The girl grunted when she pulled the man back onto the roof and set him down safely. After already been broken and not wanting to get involved with the group anymore, the man shouted in fear and ran for the building's exit as fast as he could.

"Now we know where our friends are," said Danny, "so let's go save them so we can take back our city!"

The others all agreed with the ghost boy and ran for the exit just like the thug did before them with their destination in mind. As they left, Piper said, "I just hope we're not too late."

* * *

><p>Katara felt herself coming to, and she could feel her head throbbing with pain. The last thing she remembered before blacking out was her fighting against Azula and taking a blast of fire to the chest that sent her into a wall. Her vision was blurry when she opened her eyes until she steadied herself and felt the world returning to normal. Rubbing a hand to the side of her hand to alleviate the pain, she sat up to survey her surroundings.<p>

"What… where am I?" she said.

All of a sudden, Katara could feel something heavy and metallic against her neck. She looked down and saw that she had been mysteriously placed with a collar. Pulling with all her might against it, she tried to get it off but then felt a slight electric shock upon doing so. Katara yelped in pain and took her hands off the collar, which immediately ended the shock. She then looked around to see that she and almost all of her friends were all inside a dreary-looking room with grey walls and a filthy floor. A set of bars were blocked to the side and she knew that she and everyone else was in a jail cell.

Aang and Junko also seemed to be wearing the same collars around her neck like her, and they looked absolutely depressed by them. Turning her eyes to the front, she saw that Toph, unlike the others, was placed inside a wooden cell that was the size of a crate—knowing it was to prevent her ability to Metalbend—and she also had the same collar around her neck. On the far end of the room was a lone stool that had a plastic cup on top and Katara saw that was where the Chief was held captive.

"What happened?" said the Waterbender.

Sokka looked at his sister, noticing that she was finally awake. "Oh, hey, Katara," he said. "If it's not that obvious, we're prisoners by Azula."

"I think she could've figured that out on her own," said Junko.

"And she took everything into consideration," said the Chief. "I've never been able to match wits with the plastic cup!" A smile then came upon his face when he spotted a few purple spots on the plastic. "But on the bright side, there's grape soda in here." The Chief proceeded to lick up the spots of soda to make himself feel slightly better.

Katara looked around the room again and stopped when she noticed someone who wasn't part of her group. It was a portly, yellow-skinned man with messy brown hair dressed in a ragged purple business suit. His face was covered with a shaggy beard that made him look like he had been locked in the cell for weeks, and he looked down at the floor in shame for having to witness so many other innocents become a prisoner like him. Katara suddenly recognized the man.

"Mayor Quimby?" said the girl. "What are you doing here?"

"We were all wondering that, too," said Finn, "but we decided to let him keep his dignity."

The former mayor looked up in shame at the people he let down. The question, he thought, deserved to be answered. "I've, er-ah, been in here ever since Azula took over," he said. "She came barging into my office one day with an offer in exchange for control over the city. But I refused when I found out what she intended to do, so then she took over by force. I don't even deserve to be the mayor anymore after failing everyone I've sworn to protect."

"What she intends to do?" asked Toph. "What's that?"

"Oh, I believe I can tell you myself," said a familiar voice.

Everyone looked out at the entrance of the jail cell and saw that a door at the end of the hallway was opened to reveal Azula walking in an arrogant stride. She approached the group and stopped before them, being careful not to get too close to them.

Aang, feeling enraged, stood up and held out his hands in an attempt to blast the wicked girl with as much power from his Airbending as he could summon. But the instant he tried, the collar around his neck sent an electrical shock throughout his body. The Avatar screamed loudly and fell to the floor before the collar finally stopped sending the currents through him, leaving the others inside the cell gasping with fright.

"I hope you enjoy the little accessories I've placed on some of you," Azula said smugly. "They're specifically designed to prevent you from using your Bending or your mammoth strength. The shocks will get even more powerful if you keep trying to Bend or if you attempt to remove them. As well, your weapons have been confiscated, so don't even try anything funny, although it would be entertaining to watch."

Sokka looked up with so much hate for Azula that it replaced all sense of reason from him. "You heartless bitch! I swear, when I get out of here, I'll make you beg for the sweet embrace of death!"

"Now don't make promises you can't keep, especially for what I've got in store," said Azula.

"And what, pray tell, is that?" said the Chief.

Breathing in through her nose, Azula prepared for her ultimate plan. "Well, since it's hopeless for you all anyway, I might as well tell you. I'll bet that you've seen the effects of the Titan formula, right? Well, imagine with the supply I have what it could do to countless others."

"But how would you get that many of those monsters?" said Aang. "Unless…" Letting out a surprised gasp, the boy understood how the wicked girl's plan would be made possible. "The dam!"

"That's right!" said Azula. "As we speak, my men are pouring every last drop of the formula into Toon City's waters, and every person in the city will arrive in front of the dam in the morning. They'll all think it will be a peaceful march, and by the time they find out, it'll be too late. When I blow up the dam, the water will flow directly into their bodies and change them all into fearsome beings that will be worthy of living in my city!"

Everyone was left speechless by Azula's words. Not only was her plan evil, but it was also maniacal. The thought of every innocent person being changed into monsters then filled their minds and it was so revolting that they wish they never had imagined it.

"Oh no!" said Keswick. "The formula is only supposed to be temporary, but that much exposure to it could make the transformation p-p-p-permanent!"

"Azula, you're insane!" Aang shouted. "Unleashing that much water will kill millions of innocent lives!"

"A necessary sacrifice," said the wicked girl. "It will just prove that those who do survive are fit to be part of my order."

Stork sat up and gave Azula a judgmental glare. "So let me get this straight: you're willing to commit mass genocide all for the sake of your own beliefs? It sounds right up your alley, but wouldn't you want everyone to stay the way they are so they'll worship you?"

A devilish laugh came out of Azula upon being asked the absurd question. "I couldn't care less about the wretches of this city!" she replied. "They're all weak and pathetic! If I didn't know any better, I'd swear they all crawled out of the most putrid cesspool anywhere! But when I make them swallow the Titan formula from the dam's water, they'll all be the subjects I want, in a city where I have ultimate power and only the strongest survive!"

The speech the group heard made them feel even more contempt for Azula, more than any of them ever dreamt possible.

"And what do you plan to do to us?" said Junko.

"At first I was going to have you all ingest the formula," replied Azula, "but then I thought a more suitable punishment was to leave you all the way you are and release you to the citizens. You'll be powerless against them, the same people you fought so hard to protect. And I will be there to watch as you all breathe your last before my subjects grind you into dust." She then turned on her heel and headed in the direction of the exit. "Now then, if you'll excuse me, I have a city full of mindless sheep to change."

Azula headed for the exit but stopped before the doorway to shift her eyes over to the cell where everyone was placed. "Oh, and don't think I haven't noticed that not all of you are here right now. My men are busy combing the streets for the ones who got away. When they are found, you can be sure that they will meet a most _excruciating_ demise." She then walked out to leave the group and attend to her own matters.

Everyone was left alone with their hopes finally shattered. There was nothing any of them could do as long as they were at the mercy of Azula, and hearing about her plan was what made them give up on trying to ever save their city from doom. They were so depressed that not even the possibility of Aerrow and the others coming to their rescue would lift their spirits. They all felt like letting the darkness of the room swallow them up and end their existence.

While the group mulled over their defeat, someone looked out of the window of the adjacent door. It was Zuko and he stared at the group in worry after hearing everything Azula told them. His eyes then shifted around while he thought of what to do next, knowing that it would now be time to execute the final stages of his work.

* * *

><p>It was during the same time when Aerrow and the others came close to the prison after following the directions of the man they interrogated, being careful along the way by avoiding Azula's men. They stopped in front of the street sign and looked up to see that they were in fact along Abbey Road. After travelling a few more feet, they stopped in place and gazed upon the building that stood in the distance.<p>

The prison consisted of four giant brick walls that were intersected by guard towers at each corner, and the towers all had giant searchlights at their tops that swept back and forth as a means of finding anyone attempting to break in or out. The group looked around and found the entrance in the middle of the nearest wall where it was monitored by two TYGER operatives.

"Okay, team," whispered Aerrow. "We've found the prison, so now it's just a matter of getting in there."

"How?" said Piper. "Security looks really tight."

Danny then came up with a solution. "I know!" he said. "I could go ghost and make you all go intangible so we can phase through the walls, just like we did at the warehouse."

"Don't count on it," said Kitty. "Azula has her whole goon squad looking for us and they would already know of your abilities, so they've probably put up a ghost shield around the prison."

"Then how are we supposed to get in there?" said June.

Dudley suddenly sniffed the air and looked down the street behind the others. His eyes turned as big as saucers when he saw who was approaching. "Guys, we've gotta hide!" he said.

The others all went into a panic and went straight into the alley adjacent to them, figuring it would be dark enough to conceal their presence, as long as they kept silent.

A few seconds went by and nothing happened. So, feeling curious, Aerrow slightly stuck out his head to see from who they were hiding. The figures stepped closer and the Sky Knight saw that it was six TYGER operatives walking down the street. Aerrow then noticed that each of the men was roughly the same size as he and his friends, so he was struck with an idea.

"That's our ticket into the prison," he said going back into the alley. "When those guys get closer, we ambush them and take their uniforms."

A smile came to everyone's faces as they all thought that it was the perfect plan to get into the prison: to impersonate the identities of TYGER operatives. With their goal set, they got into position right at the edge of the shadows.

The TYGER operatives walked right into the alley's entrance, paying no attention to it, when they all felt hands grab onto their uniforms and pull them into the darkness. Sounds of punches being landed and cries of agony filled the alley as the surprise attack forced Azula's men into submission until it ended and the sounds of shuffling were made.

A moment later, Aerrow, Piper, Danny, June, Dudley and Kitty all stepped out of the alley donning the uniforms of TYGER operatives. They all felt lucky that masks were placed over the bottom half of their faces and red berets covered their hair so no one else would recognize them when they got too close.

Aerrow, who wore a plate of armour over his uniform, tapped himself on the back and whispered, "You okay in there, Radarr?"

A chirp was heard from within the armour, letting the red-haired teen know that his co-pilot was safely inside and ready to come out at any moment.

"Okay," said Kitty, "now let's get in there."

The group then walked in single file towards the prison. Upon reaching the entrance, the men on duty immediately let them go inside without hesitation, completely accepting their ruse. Inside the group walked where they saw the walls contained a large chain-link fence topped with barbed wire and inside of that was the central building where they all figured the prisoners were kept.

When they got to the building, they walked inside and saw that it was like any other prison: floors all containing their own cells that were empty with TYGER operatives patrolling the area. Each of them was baffled by the emptiness of the cells, but then they knew that it was only for the people who dared to defy Azula and the only ones who ever did that were their friends.

"Where do you think they are?" whispered June.

"I don't know," Aerrow whispered back. "We may have to go searching around each floor to find them."

The T.U.F.F. agents headed down the first hallway they saw on their right. Onward they walked, hoping to find their friends as soon and possible and escape the prison in one piece, for every minute they stayed was another minute they had to risk their safety. They finally reached the room at the end and stopped in place and were left aghast.

The room didn't contain their friends like they hoped; instead it held numerous TYGER operatives who were enjoying themselves with karaoke. It left the T.U.F.F. agents feel weird for having stumbled upon it.

"Is this really happening?" said Piper.

"I think it is," said Kitty.

"Well, I don't think they've noticed us," said Aerrow, "so let's sneak out of here befo—"

The Sky Knight was cut off when another TYGER operative stepped in front of him and the others and they all could make out that he was smiling underneath his mask.

"Hey there! Glad you could make it!" said the man. "You guys look like you could blow off some steam."

Danny, shifting his eyes around nervously, said, "Oh, um, no thanks. We actually need to get back to work and…"

"Oh, c'mon! I bet one song wouldn't hurt ya, so get up there and relax!" The TYGER operative proceeded to force everyone onto the karaoke stage.

Aerrow and the others were left speechless at what they were supposed to do. All around they could feel the eyes of the TYGER operatives staring at them and expecting them to do something, knowing that the slightest mistake would blow their cover. All of a sudden, a song began to play.

"**Today"**

**As Made Famous by The Smashing Pumpkins**

"What do we do?" whispered Dudley.

"I think we'll just have to play along for now," Aerrow whispered back. "Try to look entertaining."

Feeling trapped with no other options, the others nodded in agreement and decided to sing along to the song. It was then that Aerrow and Danny figured out what the song was, and it would be the opportune time to express to those close to them how they really felt. The group then sang into the microphone for the crowd.

Aerrow: _Today is the greatest_

_Day I've ever known_

Danny: _Can't live for tomorrow_

_Tomorrow's much too long_

Dudley: _I'll burn my eyes out_

Kitty: _Before I get out_

Aerrow turned his head over to look at Piper and invited her over to where he was standing. Their eyes were locked in and they each could feel like they were getting the one thing they were missing the whole time, and so they sang out the next verse.

Piper: _I wanted more_

_Than life could ever grant me_

Aerrow: _Bored by the chore_

_Of saving face_

The TYGER operatives cheered them on, thinking the performance was great, so the group continued singing.

Danny: _Today is the greatest_

_Day I've never known_

June: _Can't wait for tomorrow_

_I might not have that long_

Kitty: _I'll tear my heart out_

Dudley: _Before I get out_

Danny saw what Aerrow had done and decided to follow his example by inviting June over to him. Blue and brown mixed together as their eyes fixated on each other, and in that brief moment they felt like it was their relationship existed.

The others, seeing this, decided that Danny and June should get to sing the next verse.

June: _Pink ribbon scars_

_That never forget_

Danny: _I tried so hard_

_To cleanse these regrets_

_My angel wings_

_Were bruised and restrained_

Dudley: _My belly stings_

The halfa and the Te Xuan Ze rolled their eyes at the dog for interrupting them, and the crowd cheered them on to continue with the song.

Aerrow and Danny: _Today is_

Piper and June: _Today is_

Dudley and Kitty: _Today is_

All: _The greatest day_

The lyrics were so enchanting that the TYGER operatives kept their cheering like it would add to the ambiance.

"It's working," whispered Aerrow. "Just keep it up for a little longer."

Aerrow: _I want to turn you on_

Danny: _I want to turn you on_

Dudley: _I want to turn you on_

_I want to turn you_

The song was nearing its end, so the T.U.F.F. agents knew that it would be their only chance to get out as soon as possible.

All: _Today is the greatest_

_Today is the greatest day_

_Today is the greatest day_

_That I have ever really known_

The crowd stood up cheering and clapping their hands for the performance from the people they never suspected were intruders. After taking a bow, the group left the stage and headed back down the hallway, but Danny paused when he overheard two of the guards chatting with each other.

"Too bad we've gotta go back to guarding the prisoners," said one of them.

"I don't see what the big deal is," said the other. "They're the only prisoners here and they're locked up good and tight in Block C."

"It's Azula's orders, and we sure don't wanna piss her off."

Smiling underneath his mask, the ghost boy returned to the others and whispered what he overheard. With the new information, the group hastened their stride down the hallway to search for their friends.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, the T.U.F.F. agents who had been captured remained in their appropriate cells to wait until their fate had arrived. They felt so depressed that none of them were even willing to speak, both for not having the desire and for fear of being punished by any of Azula's guards. However, Stork felt antsy and started pacing back and forth in the cell like he was waiting for something to happen.<p>

The Merb could no longer take the torture and approached the bars. "Excuse me, jailer?" he called out.

The TYGER operative who was left in charge to watch over the prisoners walked up to Stork with an irritated look on his face. "What?" he said.

Stork looked hopeful like he was trying to reason with the guard for what he was about to say next. "I need to use the restroom."

"Knock yourself out." The man then pointed within the cell to the steel toilet bowl where inmates would go to the bathroom.

Stork looked at it and was taken aback by it, thinking that he would have to use it in front of his friends. "That's the toilet?" he said disbelievingly.

"Well, it ain't a wishing well," said the man.

(A/N: This scene is a reference to one of my favourite scenes from _The Big Bang Theory_. I love that show! XD)

Sokka smirked at his friend and said, "If you're shy, Stork, we can all look away while you take a whiz."

Feeling insulted, Stork narrowed his eyes and stayed silent at the boy, not wanting to dignify his smart-aleck remark.

Just then, the door to the block opened, causing the guard to turn around to see whoever was approaching. In walked Aerrow and the others still disguised. Seeing their friends were safe made them feel relaxed, but they knew that their ruse would have to continue for a while longer until they could be trusted to stay with them.

"Hey, what're you doing here?" said the guard.

Aerrow got up to address the man, coughing once to make sure that his voice sounded deep enough to make him seem older. "We're here to guard the prisoners. You're shift's over."

The guard raised an eyebrow at the answer. "That's odd. My shift's not over for another two hours."

Dudley then got up in the man's face to make himself look intimidating. "Hey, man!" he said. "We got direct orders from Azula herself to watch the prisoners, so are you gonna look like an idiot and defy what she said?"

"No, no, of course not," the man replied. "I would never do anything like tha—" He then stopped as something did not add up about the whole situation. "Hey, wait a minute. Why would Azula send six guards to watch over these prisoners?"

Everyone but Kitty paused while they tried to come up with a plausible response. The cat-woman saw that it was going in a dangerous direction, so she approached the guard while remaining calm.

"You know what?" said Kitty. "There's a very good explanation for that, and it's bec—" All of a sudden, she pointed behind the guard with eyes wide open. "What the hell is that?" she screamed.

The guard turned swiftly around to see what was behind him and then Kitty took the time to wrap her hands around the man's mouth and force him into a submission hold. Muffled cries came out as he tried to struggle free under the cat's strong grip until he was laid down to the floor when he finally slipped into unconsciousness.

In the cell, the others were stunned to see that a TYGER operative took out one of their own, until they saw them roll down their masks to see that they were none other than their friends come to rescue them. Relief swept over the T.U.F.F. agents for finding each other, now feeling like there was a chance to stop Azula and save Toon City.

"Did you miss us?" said Aerrow with Radarr's head sticking out from within his armour.

"All right!" said Aang. "I knew that you'd come for us!"

Kitty knelt down and took off the keys from the unconscious guard and went to unlock the cell to let everyone out. Aerrow then drew his blades and ignited them as he stood in front of Toph's wooden cell and slashed at several places. No longer being able to stand up under its own weight, the wood crumbled to pieces and allowed the blind girl to stand up and walk free. Dudley, meanwhile, walked over to the Chief and removed the plastic cup over him, allowing him to jump up and rest on the dog's head.

"It's great to see you all here," said the Chief, "and we've also got Mayor Quimby with us."

"Really? Why?" asked Danny.

"It's a long story," said Katara. "But right now we've got to get out of here and save the city. Azula plans to unleash the Titan formula on every citizen by mixing it with the water in the dam and then flooding them in the march!"

"Oh no!" Piper said in a panicked voice. "It was bad enough that her goons took that stuff, but she intends to infect every innocent person with it?"

"I'm afraid so," replied Keswick. "Our only chance now is to go back to T.U.F.F. headquarters and retrieve the cure. I was almost finished with it when Azula invaded."

"Will it work?" said June.

"It has to, or else we're all doomed," said Sokka.

"Then let's not waste any more time," said Aerrow.

The group slowly crept their way through the hallway to make as little noise as possible, but not before Stork emerged from the cell after a flushing noise filled the block. It became clear to them all that their mission was more important than ever and there was so little time left to do it. Kitty looked through the window of the door to see if any guards were coming but saw that every way she looked was deserted.

"It's clear," said the cat.

The door opened and the group stepped out to make their way for the exit. Being careful in the prison was of the utmost importance for them as one small error would have grave consequences; even Danny's ghost powers would be a hindrance to them all. They crossed the hallway and made it to the stairs leading to the ground floor and there was the exit in front of them. So easy it was for all of them to avoid any TYGER operatives in their haste to escape. But just when they were almost within reach of the door, they all stopped when a blast of blue flame came from above that scorched the floor in front of them.

Only one person was capable of an attack like that and they all saw her looking down at them with a malicious smile. Azula walked over to the banister and leapt over it in a single bound where she landed effortlessly on the ground floor right where she fired her attack, forcing the T.U.F.F. agents to take a step back.

"Did you really think I would let you go so easily?" said Azula. "I have eyes are all over this place, so I was able to see which way you were going. I merely allowed you to get this far."

"Big deal!" said Finn. "There's just one of you against all of us. You don't stand a chance!"

Azula snapped her fingers and it instantly alerted all the TYGER operatives around the prison to her location. All the men came in branding their usual melee weapons and immediately surrounded the group.

Finn let out a nervous chuckle as he saw that Azula had just made him eat his own words. "I stand corrected," he said.

"I'm tired of letting you stick around and try to ruin my plans," said Azula. "Now, I shall deal with you once and for all."

The T.U.F.F. agents all got ready into battle stances, even though some of them would be hindered by the collars still around their necks. The fighting was about to begin when all of a sudden, a call was heard from the back. "Stop!" it said.

Looking at the far end of the room, everyone saw that it was Zuko who called out to them. The teen held a large bag in his left hand while his right was concealed behind his back. He slowly walked up to the crowd with a determined look plastered over his face as he was now going to face his destiny.

"Ah, Zuko," Azula said calmly. "So glad you could join us. I assume that you're going to help me get rid of these meddling pests, right?"

Zuko stood before his friends who looked at him in anger and he thought they still hated him for joining Azula, but he knew that it was all about to change. "Wrong," he replied. "I'm here to help my friends, as I've been doing all along!" He then brought out his right hand to reveal that it held a remote and pushed the single button on it.

Immediately, those wearing the collars all saw them open up and slide down their necks where they ended up on the floor, which allowed them to use their abilities again without fear of getting electrocuted. Zuko then threw the bag in front of the T.U.F.F. agents where it opened up and out spilled all their weapons. The young Firebender watched as all his friends picked up their favoured weapons and to see that Azula was looking absolutely furious.

"Zuko, what is the meaning of this?" his sister shouted. It then became clear to her about how there was a potential mole among her ranks, and Zuko's acts had confirmed it. "Oh, I see it now. You just pretended to be on my side just so you could get information from me!"

"That's right," said Zuko. "I despised every cruel act you've ever committed and serving as one of your lackeys, but it was all for the good of restoring Toon City to its former glory. I will _never_ become someone as ruthless as you!"

"**Just Like You"**

**As Made Famous by Three Days Grace**

It was then that Zuko broke out into a song and displayed his true feelings to his sister.

_I could be mean_

_I could be angry_

_You know I could be just like you_

Azula was so full of rage that she did not want to hear any of her brother's ranting, so she held out her hands and ordered her men to attack. Danny went first and transformed into Danny Phantom and fired an ecto-blast that knocked away a TYGER operative who was about to swing a baton into Zuko.

_I could be fake_

_I could be stupid_

_You know I could be just like you_

More TYGER operatives converged on Zuko and so he spun around on one foot and unleashed a large wave of fire from his other foot. The men all fell to the ground screaming when the flames made their armour hot and seared their skin.

_You thought you were standing beside me_

_You were only in my way_

_You're wrong if you think that I'll be just like you_

Toph faced a TYGER operative armed with a riot shield who pushed out on her in an attempt to catch her off guard. But the blind girl instantly felt the small specks of earth contained within the shield and ripped it out of the man's hands where she kicked into it and dented it. After he was left unarmed, the man then felt a tap on his shoulder, forcing him to turn around and feel a punch right in his jaw that came from Junko, instantly knocking him out.

_You thought you were there to guide me_

_You were only in my way_

_You're wrong if you think that I'll be just like you_

_You thought you were there to guide me_

_You were only in my way_

_You're wrong if you think that I'll be just like you_

Azula understood the meaning behind the song and felt insulted by the words, especially since they were coming from her own brother.

More TYGER operatives jumped down from the upper floors, but they were then shot down by the laser blasts coming from Dudley and Kitty and from the crossbow bolts coming from Finn before they could land.

The song continued with Zuko facing off against Azula.

_I could be cold_

_I could be ruthless_

_You know I could be just like you_

The two siblings then face off in the traditional Firebending challenge known as Agni Kai. They let loose numerous blasts of fire that intercepted each other, proving that they were both highly skilled.

_I could be weak_

_I could be senseless_

_You know I could be just like you_

Some of Azula's men tried to attack Zuko while he was distracted, but they were caught off guard when a huge gush of water pushed them into a nearby wall where they slammed into it and were immediately frozen on contact when the water changed into ice. Zuko saw from the corner of his eye that it was Katara who came to his aid, which put a smile on his face.

_You thought you were standing beside me_

_You were only in my way_

_You're wrong if you think that I'll be just like you_

In the midst of the battle, Danny and June were once again performing their usual tag team-style of fighting with the halfa flying through the air with the Te Xuan Ze holding on to his hands. A group of TYGER operatives was below them, so Danny let go of June and let her loose on them. The girl then used her superior strength and speed by punching and kicking with swiftness to bring the guards down within seconds.

_You thought you were there to guide me_

_You were only in my way_

_You're wrong if you think that I'll be just like you_

_You thought you were there to guide me_

_You were only in my way_

_You're wrong if you think that I'll be just like you_

Aerrow protected the ones who couldn't defend themselves, who were Stork, Keswick and Mayor Quimby. A guard came up to him with a large baton, forcing the Sky Knight to block with his blades. Aerrow could feel the man's weight pressing down on him, which made him sweat and clench his teeth as he tried to push back. Suddenly, Radarr stuck his head out from under the armour and emitted a loud chirp while bearing his fangs. This surprised the guard and caused him to stumble back, allowing Aerrow to kick him in the face and make him run right into Piper, who twirled her staff above her head and used it to trip the man and cause him to fall on his back.

_On my own, 'cause I can't take living with you_

_I'm alone, so I won't turn out like you_

_Want me to_

Zuko and Azula continued their duel with vigour. One by one they each threw fire blasts at each other that always collided. Zuko knew that he and his sister were evenly matched, so he would have to think of a way to make the battle work in his favour—and that's when he eyeballed one of the collars sitting a few feet away.

He jumped away from an attack while he continued his song.

_You thought you were standing beside me_

_You were only in my way_

_You're wrong if you think that I'll be just like you_

Another shot came from Azula, so Zuko rolled out of the way and picked up the collar while keeping it out of his sister's sight. He then saw the opportunity to use it when Azula charged at him while she emitted a cry of anger, which he knew was when she was the most vulnerable. Zuko then flung the collar at his sister and watched it spiral through the air. It continued on its course and snapped right onto Azula's neck.

Azula stopped and saw that she had been tricked. She tried to rip off the collar but instead received an electrical shock. A gasp of fright came from her mouth when Zuko fired a line of flame at her, knocking her into a wall where she fell on her side.

_You thought you were there to guide me_

_You were only in my way_

_You're wrong if you think that I'll be just like you_

_You thought you were there to guide me_

_You were only in my way_

_You're wrong if you think that I'll be just like you_

Aang finished off the battle by shooting out the elements of air, water and fire into the remaining guards. All of Azula's men were now on the floor suffering multiple injuries.

Seeing that it was their chance to escape, the group rushed out the exit to head back to their headquarters, but not before Zuko remained and stared at his sister just as he finished his song.

_I could be mean_

_I could be angry_

_You know I could be just like you_

The T.U.F.F. agents were gone along with their new members. Azula sat up and surveyed the disaster that lay before her. In such a short time she had witnessed her brother betray her after doing everything she asked of him—and it took its toll on her mind and body.

Azula stood on her feet just when the collar was deactivated and slipped off her neck when a TYGER operative used the same remote Zuko had used.

"Shall we go after them, Master?" said the man.

"Don't bother," replied Azula. "There's nothing more they can do anyway. We'll proceed with my operation, and then I will have my revenge!"

* * *

><p>BlueTiger321: Woohoo! The gang's back together!<p>

Zuko: It feels great to be back with my friends.

Aang: But it still doesn't explain what he did.

Junko: Maybe we'll find out in the next chapter.

Finn: Hey! Spoiler alert!

Junko: Oh, sorry.

BlueTiger321: Anyway, folks, be sure to stay tuned when we'll get an explanation from Zuko and some more surprises between other characters. So, until next time…

Zuko: Read and review!


	11. Chapter 10: Closer to the Heart

Chapter 10: Closer to the Heart

BlueTiger321: All right! So it seems that Zuko wasn't with Azula this whole time. It's great for the group to see that he's still their friend, but they've still got a huge problem on their hands. Enjoy!

* * *

><p>After a long trek of running through the streets and away from the prison, the group arrived back at T.U.F.F. headquarters. The revelation of Zuko coming back as one of their friends was a joyous one that couldn't have come at a better time: rescuing them all and escaping from Azula. Still, it seemed to most of them that there were some unanswered questions involving Zuko—and they were about to get the answers right away.<p>

Into the main room they walked, not minding the wreckage that lay before them because it was such a trivial matter when compared to what they were about to face. All of them spread out to give each other a fair amount of room to breathe and to move freely. The ones who disguised themselves as TYGER operatives—after no longer having the need for the uniforms—discarded them and were back in their usual clothes. Zuko then walked into the centre, which put all eyes on him like he was the lead thespian on the stage about to take a bow.

Sokka was the one who addressed his friend first. "Well, Zuko, it's great to have you back with us. You really came through for us there. If not for you, we'd all be back in that filthy cell, or worse."

"Thanks," said the Firebender. "I know that you're all wondering what's going on and I'd be happy to explain it."

"You mean to tell us that there's a reasonable explanation about why you stabbed us in the back by joining Azula and then saved us from certain death right when it seemed hopeless?" said Toph.

"That's correct," said Zuko.

With a grin, the blind girl said, "Well, this should make for an interesting story."

Aerrow stepped up to add what he wanted to say. "Zuko," he said, "you don't have to tell us anything. I mean, sure, it was a bit of a surprise to see you work for Azula, but you proved that you're still one of us. And I think that should be enough."

The others all felt the same way as what Aerrow said summed it up perfectly. Nodding in unison, the group smiled at Zuko, showing they were already accepting him back as their friend.

"That's very kind of you to say," said Zuko, "but I still think I should tell you everything."

"If you insist," said Piper. "I remember you saying that you've been helping us all along. What exactly did you mean by that?"

It was at that time that Dudley, Kitty, the Chief and Keswick all walked up to join the Firebender. They all stood in a row like they were close to each other, much like the way everyone else was friends for such a long time.

"Isn't it obvious?" said Dudley. "He's been working as a mole for T.U.F.F."

All around the others were shocked to hear the reason. Never had any of them ever believed such a thing had transpired—and hearing it coming from a member of T.U.F.F. made it that much more implausible.

"Are you for real?" said Finn. "Zuko's also a T.U.F.F. agent?"

"It's for real, all right," replied the Chief. "Who do you think has been providing us with the intel on Azula this whole time?"

"I'd rather hear it from Zuko," said Aang.

The young Firebender then said, "It all happened a few days after Azula took over the city. I was separated from you guys and thought that it was a terrible thing for us and everyone else to have to go through this sudden change. I walked the streets when I was suddenly approached by Dudley and Kitty. They told me about themselves and T.U.F.F. and they wanted to recruit me for a mission that would help save our city. I asked them why and they said they did research on me and my relationship with my sister, which made me the perfect candidate. Naturally, I jumped at the chance to get even with Azula and to get Toon City back to the way it used to be.

"It took a lot of effort, but I managed to work my way up through Azula's ranks and earn her trust. My duty was to oversee what she was planning and report back to T.U.F.F. in private so they would be able to strike back at every chance." He shifted his eyes all over his friends while turning his smile into a frown. "I'm sorry I couldn't let you guys in on it, but it was because I couldn't let you blow my cover. For a trick like that to work, I had to fool both enemies and friends. But I want you to know that I hated deceiving you and that I never meant for any of you to get hurt by my actions."

"Well, you could've eased up a little when you were fighting against us today," said Junko.

"He probably had to make it look real," said June, "or else Azula would've figured out something was wrong."

Kitty was the next to get up and address her teammates. "You should also know that Zuko recommended all of you to us and said that you'd be perfect in aiding T.U.F.F. That's the reason why we recruited you."

Hearing the comment put everyone in a mood that made them feel valued for their worth. Now they were certain that Zuko would always be their friend and nothing would ever sway him. It was so touching for Katara that she walked up to Zuko and broke out into tears. Her trust in him had been challenged and she felt that her recent behaviour towards him was rash and unfair, and now she sought forgiveness from her friend.

"Zuko," said Katara, "I'm sorry I ever doubted you. I should've known better."

"It's okay, Katara," Zuko said in a calm voice. "There was no way you could've known. If I were in your position, I probably would've thought that any of our friends were bad if they joined Azula."

Wiping away her tears, the girl looked into his yellow eyes and let out a short chuckle at what he said. Their friendship, she thought, had endured a great trial and now felt stronger than ever.

"Uh, guys?" said Stork. "I know that this is a really nice moment and all, but don't you think we need to get back to more important matters, like stopping Azula from turning everyone we know into giant, muscle-bound freaks of nature?"

"Oh, right!" the Chief exclaimed. "We've got to get that cure we've been working on!"

"How long will it take?" asked Mayor Quimby. "We, er-ah, can't afford to waste any more time."

"It shouldn't take that m-m-m-much longer," said Keswick. "I happened to leave everything intact before we were captured. I j-j-j-j-just need a little more time and then it'll be ready." Keswick then left the others and headed back towards his lab to finish working on the cure for the Titan formula.

As they all waited patiently, everyone took the time to contemplate about what was about to happen and what had already happened. They each thought that this would probably be the final battle and that none of them would ever get to see each other again should it fail. That thought was pushed out of everyone's head as they were sure that the mission was going to be a success; they didn't even want to think of what was going to happen if they were to fail. But for some of them, they felt as though there was still some unfinished business that should be done.

Aerrow looked and saw Piper standing just a few feet away from his right. Looking at her from that view had made the Sky Knight realize that she looked absolutely gorgeous, and all his past feelings about the girl were suddenly emerging from within him. Then he thought of what Radarr had said to him, even though it was Dudley who translated, and he figured that it was his fault why Piper acted so harshly to him. Well, now he was going to set things right.

Walking up to the girl, the red-haired teen said, "Piper, can I talk to you for a minute?"

The girl turned around, letting her hair sway as she did so, and said, "Oh, sure."

The two walked off in private where they would be able to speak. Aerrow then let his green eyes meld in with Piper's yellow ones and he admired how beautiful they looked in the light, which, now he figured, was one of her best features. He suddenly cursed himself for ignoring it but then prepared himself for what he was going to say to make it all right.

"Piper," he said, "I've been doing a lot of thinking ever since our last argument."

Piper already could tell what it was about and raised a hand to stop him there. "Look, Aerrow, if this is about me acting so hard on you, then you don't have to say anything. I should've been more accepting about your feelings."

"But that's the thing: you took a chance and displayed your true feelings for me and then I shot you down. Well, the truth is that… I've kinda had the same feelings for you."

Hearing that, Piper opened her eyes wide in surprise. "Really?" she said.

"Of course," he replied. "I've actually had them for a while now. You're smart, funny, caring and always there for me when I need you. Those are the best traits about you that I always saw. But I never really expressed how I felt because… I was afraid, afraid of what might happen if it never worked out. We would've stopped being friends and that's something I cherish. And yes, I know I'm risking our friendship by saying it now, but at least I said it, and it was because our friends opened my eyes to the truth. I wish I had that courage a long time ago, the same courage you had when you expressed your feelings to me."

When Aerrow was done, Piper felt her lips tremble and a tear roll down her cheek as joy suddenly took hold of her. All she ever wanted from her friend had now been revealed, so she no longer had to regret her advance on him. It was like a dream come true for her: happy, sweet, and sentimental. She then walked to the boy and embraced him in a hug.

"Piper, you're not mad?" the boy said confusingly.

"Why would I be mad?" said Piper. "We both love each other, so I say we enjoy it for all its worth."

After a few seconds, Aerrow smiled back as he embraced her in return. "You're right. From now on, I'll be sure to keep you in my heart."

"**Closer to the Heart"**

**As Made Famous by Rush**

The two then separated and looked into each other's eyes again, noting how they looked even lovelier than ever. Aerrow suddenly felt the urge to show his feelings for Piper through a melody.

_And the men who hold high places_

_Must be the ones who start_

_To mold a new reality_

_Closer to the heart_

_Closer to the heart_

Piper smiled wide, hearing that Aerrow also had such a beautiful singing voice, which was another good feature about him that came into light and now made her feel even closer to him.

_The blacksmith and the artist_

_Reflect it in their art_

_They forge their creativity_

_Closer to the heart_

_Closer to the heart_

The couple walked off and rejoined the others. Everyone looked on in confusion by their behaviour and from Aerrow's singing, but then they took it as a sign that the two were back to being friends, or possibly something more. Both Dudley and Radarr looked especially happy that the two of them were together at last after having such a brutal confrontation.

Aerrow continued his song just as he brought Piper into his arms.

_Philosophers and ploughmen_

_Each must know his part_

_To sow a new mentality_

_Closer to the heart_

_Closer to the heart_

The boy then brought up the girl and twirled her around as they had now begun their own rendition of ballroom dancing. Rather than interrupt their good time together, the others all stood back and watched.

But Danny suddenly frowned upon seeing the two Storm Hawks making up so quickly and wished that he would have something like that with June. It then came to him that if he wanted that to happen, then he would have to make the first move. An idea formed in his mind, so he rushed off to find what he needed.

Aerrow and Piper continued their dancing like they were professionals. But it wasn't the dancing they enjoyed; it was being in each other's company and knowing that they had the same feelings for each other that put them in such high spirits.

Drawing her in again, Aerrow said, "I love you."

"I love you too," said Piper.

The Sky Knight continued singing to the girl as his heart compelled him.

_You can be the captain_

_I will draw the chart_

_Sailing into destiny_

_Closer to the heart_

_Closer to the heart_

_Closer to the heart, yeah!_

The couple got closer and closer together, and the others all smiled greatly as they knew what was about to happen.

_Closer to the heart_

_Closer to the heart_

_Closer to the heart_

_Closer to the heart_

_Closer to the heart_

_Closer to your heart_

The song ended when Aerrow and Piper kissed each other on the lips, making those around him cheer out loud for what he had accomplished. After a few more seconds, they broke apart and bowed towards the others. Seeing that their friends supported their newfound relationship made it that much more worthwhile and now they could overcome any obstacle, including Azula.

"All right!" shouted Finn.

"Way to go, guys!" said Junko.

"I always knew they were perfect for each other," said Sokka.

June sighed, happy for Aerrow and Piper but also feeling a little jealous that she still didn't have what they had. All she ever wanted was to feel close to the person who mattered to her, but what was said and done made it feel like it would never happen. So she would perhaps have to wait for that one day.

All of a sudden, a whistle came from the far side of the room. It caught everyone's attention by making them turn around to see what the cause of it was. There in the distance and walking closer was Danny who had a proud smile on his face and something held in his hand that he kept hidden. He stopped right before the group and looked at the one person he intended to speak to—June.

Everyone looked at the ghost boy oddly while pondering what made him do something like this.

"So what's up with Danny?" said Toph.

"Don't know," said Aang, "but I think we're about to find out."

"I'm pretty sure that it's just gonna be him and June getting into another argument," said Stork. "They've done it so many times now that I've got it marked on my day planner."

Danny then walked over to June while keeping his eyes on her and still going through his impromptu plan. It would be his last chance he would ever get to have with June so he would have to go all out or never do it at all—and he was focused on the former.

"June," said the halfa, "I just want to say that I'm sorry for what I said to you today. You were right: it didn't sound like me at all. I was so worried about our relationship that I wanted to pretend like I was somebody else in order to please you, but all I did was hurt you and myself in the end. And now I know never to take advice from somebody else without going through it in my head first." He paused for a second and looked over to Dudley to say, "No offense."

"None taken," said the dog.

Kitty looked at her partner and rolled her eyes in annoyance after deducing that he was the cause of Danny and June's arguments. "Figures," she said.

"Anyway," said Danny, "I realize now that love don't come easy; it's a game of give and take. All I ever did was take when I was supposed to give. Right now, I want to give you something special, something that'll make you see that we were meant to be together because I will do whatever it takes to make you happy. So, June, I have to ask you: will you give me one more chance?"

June felt strange at first but then gave a warm smile. Seeing Danny in a new light had made her want to recant her judgments about him and decide to open up to him once more. "Okay, Danny," she said. "I guess it would be fine. But what exactly do you mean?"

A sly grin crossed Danny's face upon being asked the question, like he anticipated it. "Well, you said that the only chance of us getting back together is if I show you how I should feel about us, so here it is!" Holding up his closed hand, he revealed Keswick's invention the Air Guitar-enabler.

"What's he gonna do with that?" asked Junko.

"Something awesome, I'm sure," replied Sokka.

Danny pointed the device at himself and fired the beam to let it envelop his body. There was a slight cause for concern when everyone thought the boy had injured himself, but then they saw him lift his head up and show that he was smiling like he discovered the greatest treasure of all time.

"**I Believe in a Thing Called Love"**

**As Made Famous by The Darkness**

Suddenly, music mysteriously began to play out of nowhere while Danny began to play air guitar to the rhythm while dropping the device. He jumped into the air and landed in front of June where he sang to show the girl he loved his true feelings.

_Can't explain all the feelings that you're making me feel_

_My heart's in overdrive and you're behind the steering wheel_

June smiled like she was about to laugh at Danny for doing something so ridiculous, but then she saw that it was a sweet gesture coming from him so she smiled out of appreciation.

_Touching you, touching me_

_Touching you, God you're touching me_

"I've gotta say: Danny's taking a bold step with this," said Piper.

"I took a bold step with you, didn't I?" said Aerrow.

"Yeah, and it worked. Go figure."

_I believe in a thing called love_

_Just listen to the rhythm of my heart_

_There's a chance we could make it now_

_We'll be rocking 'til the sun goes down_

_I believe in a thing called love_

_Ooh!_

Danny then dropped to his knees while he did an air guitar solo. It made June see a side to him that she never thought existed and she was glad for getting to see it. So she let Danny continue to sing his heart out.

_I wanna kiss you every minute, every hour, every day_

_You got me in a spin but everythin' is A-OK!_

By that time, everyone gathered around the two began to clap and cheer for Danny's performance. They were enjoying it as much as June was and they encouraged the two to get back together, the way they were before that made them so happy.

_Touching you, touching me_

_Touching you, God you're touching me_

Again, Danny jumped in the air and landed with a soft thud. He then invited June over to him and she took the offer. She was soon whisked off her feet where she was twirled around and landed with grace on the opposite side of where she once stood. Danny let go and continued to sing.

_I believe in a thing called love_

_Just listen to the rhythm of my heart_

_There's a chance we could make it now_

_We'll be rocking 'til the sun goes down_

_I believe in a thing called love_

_Ooh! Guitar!_

Another solo was being play by the ghost boy while everyone watched. Everyone then saw that tears were forming in June's eyes, but it became clear that they were tears of joy and not sorrow.

"Isn't it sweet?" said Katara. "Danny's willing to make a complete idiot out of himself just to please June."

"Hey!" Sokka said offensively. "Whenever you say I act like an idiot, you never think it's sweet!"

The younger sibling narrowed her eyes while she smirked at her brother. "That's because you do it 24/7."

Sokka said nothing but gave his sister a long, aggravated face to show he was insulted by the remark.

Danny kept playing to the music, completely unaware of the chatter going on around him. All that mattered to him was pleasing June and it was this, he thought, that was going to do it.

_Touching you, touching me_

_Touching you, God you're touching me_

Just like the others around him, Danny clapped to the music just as it was nearing its end.

_I believe in a thing called love_

_Just listen to the rhythm of my heart_

_There's a chance we could make it now_

_We'll be rocking 'til the sun goes down_

_I believe in a thing called love_

_Ooh!_

The final solo was played out by Danny's air guitar. His fingers were a blur when he played, which made everyone think that if he held a real guitar that he would be able to create some wonderful music. When Danny got to the outro, he got to his knees and slid along the floor again to approach June where it ended with a huge riff. Danny then fell on his back while panting after all the work he put in, knowing that it would all be worth it in the end.

June picked up the Air Guitar-enabler and aimed it at Danny. She enveloped the boy in the device's energy to keep him from tiring himself out with more air guitar playing.

Danny was helped up by June and he smiled while it looked like he was going to pass out. He said in between breaths, "So… is that… good enough… for you?"

A few seconds passed with the girl being unresponsive and it made the halfa look down in shame to make him believe that his effort was in vain. All of a sudden, June wrapped her arms around Danny in a warm embrace, causing him to look surprised at first but then take it as the sign he had been hoping to see. He hugged June back until she looked up at him and kissed him on the lips, which made him kiss her in return.

The others all watched with glee and cheered at their friends' relationship being started anew.

When they broke apart, June said, "Danny, that was the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for me—and I'm glad that it was done by you. Now I see that you really are who I know you are, so please don't ever try to change that."

"I won't," said Danny.

The heartfelt moment continued until Keswick came bursting onto the scene while holding a large glass container in his hands that had a blue liquid sloshing around inside it. "The cure is finished!" he said.

"Great job, Keswick," said the Chief. "Now it's time we bring down Azula and take our city back!"

"It won't be easy," said Zuko. "Azula knows that we'll come after her, so she'll have the dam swamped with her men."

"I wouldn't have it any other way," said Aerrow. "After all, where's the fun if it's going to be too easy?"

Mayor Quimby then stepped up to say what he thought was important. "Allow me to come with you," he said. "Azula took my city away from me, so now it's personal."

Not wanting to argue with the mayor, the others all shrugged and accepted his proposal. So every one of them rushed out of T.U.F.F. headquarters to head for the Toon City Dam where they knew the final battle would commence.

* * *

><p>BlueTiger321: Oh yeah! Now didn't that chapter seriously kick ass?<p>

Aerrow: Yes, it did. I'm glad that Piper and I are together.

Piper: Well, it was pretty obvious, since we've been together before in the author's other stories.

Danny: And I'm glad that I'm back with June.

June: Was there ever any doubt?

BlueTiger321: Yeah, isn't that sweet? Anyway, folks, the battle that will decide Toon City's fate will be in the next chapter, so please be sure to stay tuned. Until next time…

Everyone: Read and review!


	12. Chapter 11: The Final Countdown

Chapter 11: The Final Countdown

BlueTiger321: Okay! Our heroes are back together again (the way they should be) and they're gearing up for their final confrontation with Azula. Can they do it knowing what's at stake? Read on and find out for yourselves! Before I begin, I'd like to dedicate this chapter to the memory of Maurice Sendak: his stories were some of my favourite to read while I was growing up. May he rest in peace.

* * *

><p>Morning was about to come over Toon City. It had been a long night but the T.U.F.F. agents managed to escape from prison, patch up what quarrels they had, and produce the cure needed to stop Azula's nefarious scheme. They walked through a dense forest on their way to the destination that was to be the place Azula bragged about releasing the Titan formula—Toon City Dam. Along the way they did their best to not make any noise that would give themselves away, for stealth in reaching the area was crucial. As an extra precaution, Aerrow had Radarr cling to his neck and let him hang down from his back to prevent him from accidentally stepping on anything on the ground, much like he did near the warehouse two nights ago.<p>

The group walked along with nothing coming out to surprise them when they all stopped and heard the sound of a snap that was very close. Fearing that they had been spotted, everyone looked around and instantly got into a fighting stance. But Radarr looked down from over Aerrow's shoulder and saw that Sokka was the one who made the noise, for one of his boots crushed a twig. Sokka saw the furry co-pilot staring at his feet and then took a step back while giving a sheepish grin to the others for his mistake. This earned him a hush from everyone.

The awkward moment was put behind them as they continued to walk through the forest in order to get to their destination as soon as possible. With any luck, they thought, no one will have already arrived at the dam. But that dream soon fizzled out of existence when the group arrived at a clearing but still remaining out of sight by hiding amongst the trees.

What stood before them was a large crowd of people all gathered in front of Toon City Dam, which stood high above everyone and everything with its massive concrete structure. A river went straight down from the dam and into the rest of Toon City, which split the crowd of civilians into two sections with one on the left bank of the river and the other on the right bank. Up on the far side of the left bank stood a large stage much like the ones everyone saw at CN Square last afternoon and contained an array of speakers as well as a single microphone attached to a lectern and screens hanging from the red curtains placed in the back. They all wondered why it was there but then presumed it to be where Azula would address the people before releasing the waters just to put them at ease. To make sure there was crowd control, the various thugs of Arkham City stood on patrol in front of the stage.

The T.U.F.F. agents knew that the crowd would still be hostile should they see them, so without a sound, the heroes slowly walked around them through a thick brush of trees. When they were sure that no one could see or hear them, they began to strategize their plan.

"All right," whispered the Chief. "It looks like everyone in Toon City has gathered here."

"Big surprise there," Toph said sarcastically. "Azula led them all here without realizing they've just walked into a trap."

"So what's our best option?" said Aang. "Can anyone see how secure the dam is?"

Finn knew of the best way to check. Pulling out his crossbow, he brought up all three target reticles and looked through it while aiming at the dam. His eye gazed upon TYGER operatives all patrolling the dam and armed with sniper rifles. Finn looked back at his friends and said, "Bad news: Azula's guys have got the dam pretty secure."

"Another big surprise there," said Stork. "After the little stunt we pulled at the prison, she was probably expecting us." Drooping his arms, the Merb thought he finally accepted defeat.

"We can't give up now," said Aerrow, "especially not after making it this far. Does anyone have a plan?"

Kitty looked at the dam and then at the stage. Her high intellect sought out the various scenarios, both thinking of the benefits and the consequences, until she finally came up with the plan she knew would work. "I've got it," she said. "First we take out the guards near the dam, and then we get inside and split into two groups: one distracting any TYGER operatives inside the dam and disarming the charges, and the other going to administer the cure into the dam's reservoir. While that's happening, Mayor Quimby will stay out here and talk to the crowd to get them to see reason."

"How?" asked Mayor Quimby. "If I go up there to address the people, they'll probably think I'm all washed up and want me gone."

Keswick gave a short chuckle, which caught the mayor's attention. "Oh, leave that to me," he said. "I happen to have a t-t-t-trick up my sleeve that'll make everyone see that Azula's nothing but a phony."

The plan was set and so the group set off into the forest to each perform their specific task. But just before they left, Keswick held out the cure to Kitty and another device, which was a small, flat black monitor that had a thin metal rod at the bottom.

"What's this for?" the cat asked, referring to the other device.

"That will m-m-m-measure how much of the Titan formula has been neutralized," replied Keswick. "Stick the rod into the water after you pour the cure into the reservoir and it will t-t-tell you the percentage."

"That's not very reassuring," said Danny.

"I was in a rush, all right? But trust me: the cure will work."

Kitty pocketed both items and then went off with her team while Keswick, Mayor Quimby and the Chief stayed behind to do their given task. Knowing that none of it would be easy, everyone proceeded with caution.

Soon the T.U.F.F. agents reached the outer rim of the forest where the entrance to the dam was placed. The shadows from the trees still acted as cover for them because they stopped once they saw that two TYGER operatives armed with assault rifles guarded the entrance while another pair patrolled the walkway at the top with sniper rifles. It was their only way of getting inside and yet they were out of reach once again by Azula's interference.

"How are we supposed to get inside the dam?" said Zuko.

"Bursting our way in would be suicide, that's for sure," said June.

"And I can see from here that they've got ghost-tracking equipment," said Danny, "so going invisible or intangible is out of the question."

"What if we tried taking them out from a distance?" asked Junko.

Piper lightened up by the suggestion. "That's brilliant," she said. "If one of us takes a position from the trees, he'll be able to take out all four guards at once."

Finn jabbed a thumb into his chest, saying, "I've got this one." He then started to climb up the nearest tree but then slipped and fell down onto his rear, making the others groan in annoyance at the marksman's clumsiness.

Finn tried climbing again and was this time assisted by Junko. The Wallop used his strength to launch his friend onto the nearest branch where he made a slight scream along the way. Finn finally settled into the branch where he stood shaking and his eyeballs rolling around in their sockets. After getting his bearings straight, he lied down on his stomach on the branch and took out his crossbow, putting up all three target reticles. His first targets were the TYGER operatives on the walkway. The first one stepped into his line of sight and so he squeezed the trigger and fired a bolt.

The TYGER operative had his back turned when the bolt struck him in the back. The impact was silent but it caused the man to utter a painful groan until he fell down to hit the floor. This alerted the guard next to him, but he only noticed it for a second when a bolt hit him in the chest, knocking him out as well.

The guards up top were taken care of, so Finn aimed his crossbow at the entrance. Two shots were instantly fired. The bolts hit their mark as both TYGER operatives standing watch took the shots in the chest and hit the ground. Finn then jumped out of the tree and once again landed on his rear where he stood up and rubbed the sore spot.

"Hey man, nice shot," said Dudley.

"What a good shot, man," added Sokka.

"So all we need to do now is get in there and plant the cure?" said Katara.

"Yeah," replied Aerrow, "but I can imagine that the whole place is filled with TYGER operatives, so stay on your toes, everyone."

The group rushed into the dam's entrance. They were so close to victory that they could feel it caressing their skins like silk. But getting into the dam was only the easy part; the hardest was about to begin.

Down the long hallway they ran, desperate to put an end to all the terror and strife that had befallen them over the course of their journey. Although it had been such an unpleasant time for each of them, they all managed to see something in themselves and each other that none of them ever noticed during all their years of friendship. It filled them with a sense of pride in knowing that they discovered what those secrets were and that it brought them all closer as friends.

Eventually they arrived at the central chamber of the dam. But they dared not go any farther than the hallway as they saw numerous TYGER operatives walking around, each armed with a different firearm. What they also saw were various demolition charges, which were black boxes with blinking red lights, placed at specific points on the dam. They were to be the catalyst that would bring forth Azula's change if it were allowed.

Kitty looked out from her spot until she found what she was looking for: a sign that showed her the way. It was a white sign with blue lettering that said _Reservoir_ and had a blue arrow pointing in the appropriate direction. Unfortunately, it was on the other side of the room. "There's where we need to go," she said, "so now it's time for the next phase of our plan."

"Right," said Aerrow. "We'll create a distraction so you can go put the cure into the reservoir."

Dudley looked at his partner with determined eyes while he thought he couldn't let her do it by herself. "I'll go with you," he said.

"What?" said the cat. "I can't let you do that. You should stay here and help the others."

"But what kind of partner would I be if I let you do something like this by yourself? Besides, you don't know what's in there. I'll be your backup."

Kitty thought long and hard. Then she stared into Dudley's blue eyes and remembered why he was such a good partner, because he was always there for her, even though sometimes it never worked out in her favour. "Oh, okay," she said. "I'll let you come with me."

The dog, feeling excited, jumped up and held out his hand saying, "High five!" Dudley stayed in midair for a few seconds until Kitty complied and slapped her hand with his.

Stork got between the two and said, "If you don't mind, I'd like to come with you two as well because your task sounds like the easiest and has the least-likely way of me getting beaten up."

Rolling her eyes and grunting, Kitty said, "Fine. Now all we need to do is get the guards to look away while we sneak off."

Just then, a column of concrete was lifted up and knocked several guards off their feet. It came so unexpectedly that the other guards were bewildered by it and put them on alert.

The T.U.F.F. agents were also confused by the column until they heard snickering from the back. They looked to see Toph having a huge grin on her face with both her arms raised high over her head.

"You said you needed a distraction," said the blind girl.

It was the best option for them all so they all stood back and let Toph do her work. Aang joined with her and together they used their Earthbending skills to lift random blocks of concrete to surprise the guards. One by one the blocks came up, startling the TYGER operatives and catching them in their path to knock them over on their backs, sides or stomachs, to create complete chaos in the room.

Seeing that it was their chance to get across, Dudley, Kitty and Stork all ran for the hall. They managed to make it to the other side without being spotted just as more blocks of concrete kept rising and falling to distract the guards.

The rest jumped out into the open after their friends left once the concrete blocks stopped rising, and all the TYGER operatives looked on and faced the group with angry glares while they all got their firearms ready, which only put the T.U.F.F. agents into their own battle stances.

* * *

><p>Dudley, Kitty and Stork eventually made it to the chamber that contained the dam's reservoir, which was a large room with a gigantic pool of water on the floor where it kept steady ready to be distributed. Being sure that no one was around to stop them, they carefully looked around every inch of the room before stepping inside to initiate their objective. It appeared that the chamber wasn't guarded, so they all walked into it and immediately headed for the pool.<p>

Upon getting closer, they noticed that the water wasn't its usual colour; it was green. The realization struck them: the water changed colour due to the mass amount of the Titan formula having been dumped into it. It was going to change once they were finished.

Dudley looked at the water strangely and started to rub his chin.

"What is it, Dudley?" asked Kitty.

"I dunno," replied the dog. "Since the water's got that formula in it, I was kinda expecting something more than just making it turn green. Y'know, something like smoke on the water."

The cat and the Merb stared at the dog with raised eyebrows for his insane thought.

"It must be really empty inside your head," said Stork.

"At times, yes," said Dudley.

"Enough chitchat," said Kitty. "Let's just pour the cure into the water and be done with it." She then reached into her clothes to find the container so they could get back to the others as soon as possible.

The trio kept their eyes on the pool of water, not even noticing that two large shadows came upon them. It wasn't until they saw the reflections in the water that they turned around after abandoning their task and looking up with frightened expressions. Standing before them were the Abramovici Twins, Mr. Hammer and Sickle.

"Now we destroy you!" said the twins in unison.

Raising their weapons high, the two brothers brought them down hard and missed just as Dudley, Kitty and Stork quickly rolled to the side, letting their sledgehammer and sickle crash into the concrete and make two large cracks.

The only thing that came to mind for the trio was to run as Mr. Hammer and Sickle came running at them full speed. They ran away from the pool to get away from their attackers, hoping to cover some distance and to think of a strategy.

"I think I was better off with everyone else!" Stork said as he ran.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, back outside the dam, the crowd stood waiting just as the time was five minutes to six o'clock. Soon, they all thought, they would get to chance to make an impact on those who were still doubtful of Azula's reign and make them see that it was, as the crowd saw, the best thing that ever happened to them. Everyone kept their eyes on the stage with the knowledge of Azula appearing at any moment to give them the last bit of encouragement they needed to see this peaceful event to the end.<p>

All was quiet until a lone figure approached the lectern and then a single light shined on that spot. Cheers went up from the civilians when they saw that it was Azula coming to greet them.

Azula smiled at her followers. It was going according to her plan: they suspected nothing while her men were getting ready for the final preparations. Soon every man, woman and child who survived the flood would be transformed into lethal killing machines that would follow her bidding. The only thing left to do was to make sure they would get their last bit of happiness before they met their fate.

Raising her hands to silence the crowd, Azula leaned in closer to the microphone and said, "My fellow toons, thank you all for coming for this joyous occasion. It is with great pride to see so many of you who are willing to take a stand for what is right. Today, we shall show everyone in the city who refuse to accept the righteous change that my rule is one of peace and prosperity; that it is what Toon City deserves!"

Another cheer erupted from the people, and again Azula silenced them by raising her hands.

During Azula's speech behind the curtains of the stage, Keswick and Mayor Quimby stood at a control panel next to an unconscious TYGER operative who had been taken by surprise and knocked out by the Chief who stood on the man's head in victory.

"Was I great or what?" said the flea.

"You were on fire, Chief," Keswick said in nonchalance. He stared at the control panel to figure out the correct function that controlled the monitors and the speakers. When he found it, he opened up the casing and then reached into his sleeve.

The Chief and Mayor Quimby both stared at the creature to see what he was doing, wondering if it would assist in bringing down Azula.

"What are you doing?" asked the mayor.

"Oh, I'm just looking for s-s-s-something I keep on me at all times," replied Keswick. "Let's just say that it caught Azula red-handed while we were in j-j-j-j-jail." Keswick then smiled when he found what he was looking for and pulled it out to show it was a cord that was attached to a small video recorder kept in his sleeve. He shifted his eyebrows and showed a tooth-filled grin upon imagining Azula's reaction for what he had in store.

* * *

><p>Back inside the dam, Aerrow and the others all faced the TYGER operatives with determination and confidence in their hearts. A huge battle was about to commence and they were ready for it.<p>

"**Back in Black"**

**As Made Famous by AC/DC**

(A/N: Once again, no one is singing this song; it's used for a fight scene.)

One of the TYGER operatives got closer to the group while keeping his assault rifle aimed on them. "You kids haven't got a chance in Hell of fighting all of us," he said. "If you give up now, we'll let you off with your lives."

Aerrow stared at the man and said, "Actually, we intend to even the playing field."

All the TYGER operatives laughed at the boy for his stupid remark, but then they all yelped in surprise when random green lasers were fired off in different directions that struck every man's firearm and destroyed them. They looked up to see a figure floating in midair after turning visible—Danny Phantom. The halfa floated back down to his friends and joined them just as the TYGER operatives all armed themselves with knives, stun batons and bats.

The fighting began.

_Back in black, I hit the sack_

_I been too long, I'm glad to be back_

_Yes, I am_

A TYGER operative lunged forward at Aerrow with his bat, but the Sky Knight grabbed his daggers, ignited them and spun into the air as he was surrounded with a blue aura. A pair of blue wings seemed to have protruded from his arms until he shot them forward and fired a large pulse of energy; it was his signature move, the Lightning Claw. The pulse struck the man in the chest where he was instantly knocked out and laid on the floor motionless.

_Let loose from the noose_

_That's kept me hanging about_

Aang went next and swirled his hands around in front to create a tornado that lashed out at three men and sent them spiralling into each other. The speed of their collision instantly put them out of the battle.

_I keep looking at the sky 'cause it's gettin' me high_

_Forget the hearse 'cause I'll never die_

Swing after swing came from a bat-wielding operative who faced Piper. She blocked every swing with her staff but she could feel the blows pushing on her arms. It then came down to a test of strength as the man pushed his weight with his bat on the girl's staff, and Piper could feel herself being pushed back along the floor. With no way to counter the attack, it looked hopeless for her.

All of a sudden, Aerrow leapt in and fired a pulse from one of his blades that struck the man and stunned him, forcing him to drop his bat and stand still as the crystal energy surged throughout his body. Piper then smirked at her window of opportunity and swung her staff into the side of the man's head and sent him to the floor. She smiled at Aerrow for his help, who smiled in return.

_I got nine lives, cat's eyes_

_Using every one of them and runnin' wild_

'_Cause I'm back_

Four TYGER operatives were about to rush in to join their comrades when one of them suddenly shocked the other three with his stun baton. As all three men fell to the floor when their muscles convulsed from the electricity, June came up to the last one and gave him a thumbs up. The man oddly gave the Te Xuan Ze the same gesture. A few seconds later, Danny phased out of the man's body and hovered over his head. The TYGER operative stood confusedly at what just happened only to receive a punch into his face by June where he was left piled on top of his fellow operatives.

_Yes, I'm back, well I'm back_

_Yes, I'm back_

Zuko, having the most rage out of everyone in the group, came charging in and shot wave after wave of fire at his targets, sometimes as balls and other times as wide lines. From his point of view, more TYGER operatives came at him with weapons held high. His only reactions to it were a sly grin and a sweep of his leg that sent a flame trailing across the floor that struck his target's feet and made them fall while shouting in agony.

_Well, I'm back, back_

_Well, I'm back in black_

_Yes, I'm back in black_

Katara struck one operative by forming a block of ice and sending it into his stomach. It knocked the wind out of him and he was hit with the same block on the head where it smashed to pieces. The Waterbender gathered up the pieces and formed them back into water, but then she looked up and shouted, "Here come more of them!"

The girl's friends heard the warning and looked up to see more TYGER operatives running in to attack.

_Back in the back of a Cadillac_

_Number one with a bullet, I'm a power pack_

_Yes, I am_

Finn took his crossbow and struck down any operative that rushed into the room. The bolts hit with such precision that it amazed everyone in the room, even though all of Finn's friends knew him to be the best shot of them all.

"Chicka-cha!" said the sharpshooter.

_In a bang with the gang_

_They gotta catch me if they want me to hang_

The battle went well for Junko since he was able to use his vast strength to send his enemies flying with every hit he landed. The attacks were made even more potent with his Knuckle Busters. Junko eventually felt so pent up with fury from the battle that he exhaled a mighty roar that made the TYGER operatives cower before him and run away.

'_Cause I'm back on the track and I'm beatin' the flack_

_Nobody's gonna get me on another rap_

Sokka seemed alone when three TYGER operatives surrounded him, all armed with knives. He kept his wits about him so he would be ready for the first sign of an attack. The operative to his left made the first move, so Sokka quickly unsheathed his sword and blocked the slash. The remaining men joined to help their comrade, which was good news for Sokka from his viewpoint. He had the advantage of speed as all the attacks were slow. All the blows were either dodged or parried by the teenage boy until he was able to knock all three operatives away and swing his blade in a wide circle that cut deep into each man's armour.

_So look at me now, I'm just makin' my play_

_Don't try to push your luck, just get out of my way_

'_Cause I'm back_

Toph was fortunate enough that the concrete had enough stones in its surface to allow her Earthbending sense to see the battle. When two operatives charged at either side of her, she raised her hands to summon a tall block of concrete where she pushed them out and hit both men at the same time.

_Yes, I'm back_

_Well, I'm back_

_Yes, I'm back_

The battle was going well for the group: it was because they were able to fight to their true potential.

_Well, I'm back, back_

_Well, I'm back in black_

_Yes, I'm back in black_

* * *

><p>Dudley dodged a swing from Mr. Hammer that came at him while he ran for his life. He and his friends were so close to placing the cure into the reservoir and having the Abramovici Twins stand in their way was another hindrance that they didn't need.<p>

"Does anybody have a plan?" asked the dog as he jumped a horizontal swing aimed at his legs.

"Running has always worked for me!" replied Stork. A thrust came from Sickle that made him turn to his side and let the blade stick into a wall.

Kitty, on the other hand, was feeling furious about facing the two men. If she didn't implant the cure soon, then everyone in the city would be turned into monsters. The sound of a screech filled the room when Kitty slid to a stop and let her boots scrape against the floor. Dudley and Stork got behind her just as the Abramovici Twins walked up to them and lightly tapped their weapons on their shoulders.

"The cat is mine!" said Mr. Hammer. The vendetta he felt for Kitty was so strong that no one was going to stop him; not even his own brother.

"Fine with me," said Sickle. "I have unfinished business with that flea-bitten mutt."

While the men kept their gaze on the group, they didn't notice that Kitty secretly slid the cure over to Dudley. The dog saw his partner wink at him, which, as a way of knowing over their time as partners, meant she was about to do something risky. Kitty leapt into the air with great speed and got between Mr. Hammer and Sickle just as she came down. Her legs split open and she emitted a shout as her kicks landed on the sides of both men's head. The attack momentarily stunned them and forced them to stumble off to the side.

_Well, I'm back, yes, I'm back_

_Well, I'm back, yes, I'm back_

The two brothers quickly regained their bearings after the assault. Mr. Hammer was filled with even greater fury for allowing such a devious trick to be played on him, and by the same cat who humiliated him no less. He was about to take it out on Kitty when he saw Dudley holding the large container and knew that it was what his master warned him of: that someone would try to tamper with the formula.

"Get the dog!" shouted Mr. Hammer.

Sickle heard the cry from his brother and instantly set his sights only on Dudley, who shouted with fright and ran off with Stork just as the sickle came crashing down onto the floor where the dog and the Merb had previously stood.

_Well, I'm back, back_

_Well, I'm back in black_

_Yes, I'm back in black_

"Man, I hope the others are doing better than us!" said Dudley.

* * *

><p>Back in the central chamber of the dam, the group had finished off almost all the TYGER operatives. Only two remained and they both looked absolutely terrified by how fast their comrades had been defeated. Their heads screamed for them to run but their legs shook so violently that they would not listen.<p>

But then the guards pulled something out from within their uniforms and the T.U.F.F. agents gasped when they saw they were autoinjectors just like the ones that contained the Titan formula. Whether the men had them as per Azula's orders or they smuggled them into their clothes, the group didn't know, but they did know that it meant trouble for them.

The TYGER operatives instantly injected the formula into their necks and felt the transformation happen. Their muscles bulged out and ripped their uniforms while they shouted in agony, and their spines emerged from their back along with spikes made of bone popping out from their arms. Looking out from their newly-formed green eyes, the Titan men roared with anger and stomped their way over to the group.

"Now this could be a problem," said Finn.

_Well, I'm back, back_

_Well, I'm back, back_

One Titan picked up an unconscious TYGER operative easily with one hand and then flung him in the direction of the T.U.F.F. agents. Not wanting to get hit, everyone rolled out of the way to avoid the unexpected projectile.

"Doesn't he have any concern for his fellow guards?" said Katara.

"I'm guessing not!" said Sokka.

_Back, back_

_Back in black_

_Yes, I'm back in black_

Both of the giants roared and charged the group, their feet pounding against the floor and sounding like an earthquake.

_Outta sight_

Toph raised a wall of concrete in front of the giants a few feet away from her and her friends, but the Titan men broke through it with ease. It appeared as though nothing could stop the giants from charging.

All of a sudden, one Titan stopped his charging when an electrical charge surged throughout his body. The unexpected jolt made him lose his balance while he was charging and resulted in him tripping right in front of the other Titan and forced the other to fall on top of him. Both Titans ended up in a large pile and saw stars spinning around their head. The others saw in the back Radarr holding up a stun baton that he assumed to have picked up during the fight.

"Nice job, Radarr!" said Aerrow.

The giants were about to get back up when Danny and June got in close to them and assailed them with various punches and kicks to their faces. Their increased strength from the boy's ghost powers and the girl's Te Xuan Ze status knocked the two brutes onto their backs where the couple leapt into the air and came down with their feet extended. The blow hit the giants in their faces and knocked out various teeth, also ending the battle.

Danny and June stood proudly off to the side to see their combined efforts earned them a victory. The others rushed over to their side and congratulated them for their work.

"You really did a number on those guys," Zuko complimented.

"What'd you expect?" said Danny. "I'm fighting to protect everything and everyone I love. When they're on the line, a seven nation army couldn't hold me back."

June felt esteemed by the mention of her boyfriend's words. "I feel the same about you, Danny."

"Don't celebrate just yet," said Aerrow. "We still have to worry about the demolition charges. If we can disarm them, there's no way Azula can unleash the water on the city."

And so the group set out with their next task: finding what was needed in order to prevent the dam from rupturing before Azula would have a chance.

* * *

><p>Back outside, Azula continued with her speech to the crowd of people. Her voice carried across the forest just as it became one minute to six o'clock. "So now I ask all of you: join me in this march for the good of our city, not just for yourselves but for those who have yet to believe."<p>

As the speech continued, Keswick finally finished with the wiring and pressed a button on the control panel, which instantly played back what was recorded on his player. A smirk crossed his face as he did so, knowing the result was about to be glorious.

Azula then said, "Now go out and—" She stopped when static filled her ears from the speakers and the monitors showed nothing but rapid images until it showed Azula once again but in a different setting.

The recording of Azula then played: _"I couldn't care less about the wretches of this city!__They're all weak and pathetic! If I didn't know any better, I'd swear they all crawled out of the most putrid cesspool anywhere! But when I make them swallow the Titan formula from the dam's water, they'll all be the subjects I want, in a city where I have ultimate power and only the strongest survive!"_

The citizens were left shocked and appalled by what they saw and heard, but none more than Azula who was left speechless. Turning her head back to the crowd, she could see that her followers had enraged expressions on their faces. It wasn't long until they all burst into shouts of rage for having been deceived by the person they trusted.

Azula looked worried and did her best to get the situation under control. "My people, do not believe what you have witnessed. It's only a trick." But her explanation fell on deaf ears as everyone marched forward and trampled over the Arkham thugs left to control the crowd.

Azula was forced to withdraw from the stage to avoid ending up like her men. Her gaze was shifted towards the dam as she already surmised who was responsible for the interference—and it made her blood boil for having lost what she worked so hard to gain. Setting off in a quick sprint, Azula headed for the dam to confront the people who would pay.

* * *

><p>Dudley and Stork continued their retreat away from Mr. Hammer and Sickle. No matter where they went, the two brothers always seemed to be in hot pursuit. But they dared not slow down or stop; everyone in Toon City depended on them.<p>

The weapons from the twins crashed down again and forced the Merb and the dog to jump. Dudley suddenly lost his grip on the container and so it shifted over to Stork, who now was the primary target of the Abramovici Twins.

"Thanks a lot!" Stork said in sarcasm.

"Sorry!" Dudley willingly took the container back and ducked under the sledgehammer until he and Stork stopped before a wall.

Now the two were trapped inside a narrow space before the Abramovici Twins. The idea of being helpless with no way out caused the two T.U.F.F. agents to shake uncontrollably with fear.

"This is the end for you!" said Sickle.

"Make it easy for us and hold still!" said Mr. Hammer.

All Dudley and Stork could do was scream for their lives until there was nothing left of them. Suddenly, Kitty flew in by using her grapple gun and swung from the ceiling.

"Dudley!" shouted the cat.

Hearing the call, Dudley stopped his screaming and held the container over his head. "Kitty, go long!" He then hurled the container like throwing a football and let it spiral over the twin's heads.

Kitty caught the container in her free hand and hit both feet against the wall. She used her momentum to push back against it and headed for the pool. But Sickle already intercepted her by jumping and swinging his weapon to sever the cable that connected the cat to her grapple gun. Kitty shouted as she plummeted to the floor and let the container out of her grasp.

A loud thud sounded when Kitty landed on her back. She soon got up and hoped that she hadn't broken anything, but she gasped when she saw the container about to fall to the floor. "The cure!" she shouted.

Sickle was about to attack the cat-woman again when Dudley came up and shouted, "Hi-Gi-Gi!" and attached himself to the back of the man's head. Both the dog and the man went back and forth while Sickle tried to shake Dudley off him.

Stork went wide-eyed upon seeing everything before him; it was now up to him to save the container. He crawled underneath Mr. Hammer's legs and ran straight for the container, which was just a few feet from shattering against the floor and spilling out the cure. His heart beat against his chest faster than it ever had. So much pressure was put on him and all he wanted was for it to end, and the only way it would was to reach out and grab the falling object. Stork knew that he wasn't going to run over all the way, so he dived towards the container and spun his body around so his back faced the floor and felt as though time was slowing down in front of him. The container was just inches in front of his body. When he opened up his arms, the world around him returned to its regular speed as the container was held between his arms and he slid with his back on the floor.

Stork brought his head up and chuckled: the formula was safe in his possession.

"Way to go, Stork!" shouted Dudley, still on top of Sickle. He then let out a terrified scream when Mr. Hammer came up to attack him.

A swing from the man's sledgehammer came right at him, so Dudley instinctively leapt off Sickle's head and watched from a safe distance Mr. Hammer hitting his brother.

The attack made Sickle drop his weapon and fall to the floor with lights flashing before his eyes. It made him feel so enraged by his brother's folly that he came up and punched his sibling in the face. This caused Mr. Hammer to drop his weapon and stumble backwards, where he growled furiously and charged at his brother. The twins then exchanged blow after blow. They were so focused on their dispute that they paid no attention to anything around them.

"You stupid idiot!" shouted Sickle. "Why did you hit me?"

"It was an accident!" shouted Mr. Hammer. "I was trying to hit the dog!"

"You should've known better than to take a swing at me! Then again, you always were the weak one!"

"_I'm_ weak? Those blows you landed felt like bug bites!"

"You won't be thinking that after I rip your head off!"

Before it escalated any further, the twins both felt a blow to the back of their heads that knocked them into each other. Dudley and Kitty leapt off the men's shoulders and spiralled upward. They came down with their fists extended and collided with the twins to knock them to the floor. The battle was over, and Dudley and Kitty stood on top of the Abramovici Twins as the victors.

"Sweet dreams," said Dudley.

Kitty looked out from where she stood and pointed. "Look!"

The dog looked with her and saw that Stork wasted no time in opening the container over the reservoir and pouring the cure into the water. As the blue liquid spilled out into the contaminated water, Dudley and Kitty rushed over to join their friend. The cure mixed with the water and turned the green into blue. Kitty reached into her jacket and pulled out the device Keswick gave her for measuring how much of the Titan formula was neutralized.

"I hope it works," Kitty said with a voice that sounded less than confident.

The device was lowered into the water with the metal rod submerged into it. Immediately the screen showed flickering numbers to calculate the percentage. All three of them waited nervously to see what the number would be and if the cure had even worked at all, though they dared not to question Keswick's work. After a few more seconds, the screen stopped flashing and showed _100%_. The water in the pool then changed from the blue of the cure to the blue colour that was usually associated with water, which put smiles on the faces of the T.U.F.F. agents.

"It worked!" Dudley said happily.

"Yes!" shouted Kitty. She was so overjoyed that she embraced Dudley, and the dog also felt the same so he hugged his partner back.

"Ahem!" said Stork. "Where are my thanks? If not for me, the cure wouldn't have been poured in."

"Oh, okay," Dudley said reluctantly. He then let go of Kitty and went over to embrace Stork who only backed away and stuck out his tongue in disgust.

"Now come on!" said Kitty. "We should get back to the others."

The dog and the Merb nodded with the cat and set off for the exit to rejoin their friends and tell them what happened.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile back in the central chamber, Aang looked up at the ceiling and noticed one TYGER operative emerge while carrying something strange in his hands. It was a small remote control that had a blinking red light, much like the same one all the demolition charges had. The Avatar only took a few seconds to realize that that was the detonator for the charges.<p>

Aang used his Airbending to propel himself from his feet onto the balcony. The sounds of metal clanking caught the TYGER operative's attention and he turned around only to be blasted with a strong gust of air from Aang's palm that sent him into the railing where he hit it hard and slumped to the floor. But Aang then gasped when the detonator slipped out of the man's grasp and fell off the balcony to the ground floor. A sense of panic soon rose within the boy, for one small hit against the device would detonate all the charges and destroy the dam along with him and his friends.

"Oh no!" shouted Aang.

The Avatar ran and tried to reach the remote only to have it slip out from his fingers. The others all saw it happening and Piper was the first one to respond. She ran out with both arms held high over her head to grab the device. Everyone else already figured out what the remote was for and they all stood gasping with fright, afraid of what was going to happen in those few seconds.

Piper was almost there and stretched out her hands. The device bounced off her right palm and settled into her left where it remained still. The chamber was filled with sighs of relief when they saw that nothing bad had happened.

The female Storm Hawk looked at the device just as the others on the ground floor walked over and Aang leapt off the balcony. Upon studying the device for a few seconds, Piper pressed the button next to the one that was flashing, and instantly all the lights on the demolition charges had stopped flashing.

"So, have we won?" asked Junko.

"I think so," replied Aerrow. "We just have to hear back from the others."

No sooner had the Sky Knight said those words when Dudley, Kitty and Stork walked out to join them. The smiles plastered on their faces put a sense of hopefulness in the others, and the feeling that an explanation of their progress was confirmed.

"The cure worked!" said Kitty. "Now no one will ever be transformed into those Titans ever again."

"Don't forget to tell them that we also ran into the freaky one-armed guys," said Stork.

"Yeah, but we totally kicked their butts," said Dudley.

"Great work, guys," said Aerrow. "We've just finished disarming the charges, so now they won't blow up."

"I hope Mayor Quimby managed to get everyone under control," said Piper.

"Let's go find out," said Katara.

But before the group was able to take a step to the exit, a blue flame was shot near the floor that made everyone jump back in defense. There they saw Azula coming from the entrance breathing with fury through her clenched teeth. Judging from her look, the T.U.F.F. agents assumed that she was less than pleased with what they did to her, but that was what they expected.

"You arrogant worms!" shouted Azula. "You've ruined everything! All the work I've put into controlling this city is gone! I wanted nothing more than to establish my reign; to establish a city where I could put my ideals to good use! That was to be my raison d'être! But you couldn't let me have it, could you?"

"Of course not, Azula!" said Aerrow. "You threatened our very existence and our right to live our lives the way we see fit!"

"We fought for what's right for us and for the innocent!" said Kitty.

"No one can have total control over any person, no matter how hard they try," said Danny, "because there will always be someone to stand in their way!"

"There's no way anyone can dissolve the power of freedom!" said Aang.

"Face it, Azula; you've lost!" said Zuko. "The formula has been neutralized, we have control over the charges, and every civilian has turned against you. Now you will pay for the crimes you've committed."

Azula shifted her eyes around while still seething with rage. What her brother said was right; she had lost everything, and despite her Firebending skills, there was no way she could battle against this many opponents. But there was still one way that she could turn around the outcome.

"Fine," said Azula. "But I'm not going down like this. If I can't rule over this city, nobody can! See you all in Hell!"

Azula shifted her body to face the nearest demolition charge and quickly gathered her prowess to concentrate on creating lightning. The others all gasped at the sight. The charges may have been disarmed but they still had the potential to explode if struck by a powerful force. Even though the formula had been neutralized, the dam being ruptured and releasing the water would still eliminate every innocent person gathered outside.

A bolt of lightning was released from Azula's fingers that headed straight for the demolition charge, but the only one who responded to it was Zuko. He ran forward ahead of the bolt and twisted his body around to face it just as he came in front of the demolition charge. Stretching out his hands and forming them together, the Firebender caught the lightning bolt and felt it pushing back on his body to send him into the wall of the dam right next to the demolition charge. Zuko then grunted as he forced the lightning to travel across his arm and avoid his heart, down through his stomach and out his other arm.

The lightning bolt was re-directed to Azula, who stood and held up her hands in defense. Azula shouted with pain when her own attack struck her back and knocked her off her feet and onto the floor where she lied motionless while the last of the lightning faded from her body.

Zuko slumped down to the floor with his eyes closed. The others all gasped as fear gripped their minds, thinking that the worst might have happened to their friend. They rushed over to Zuko to aid him and they all knelt down to his level. Junko tried waving one of his massive hands in front of the boy's face to awaken him but to no avail. Radarr jumped onto Zuko's lap and shook him with all his might; it too was futile.

"Zuko?" Katara said worriedly. She suddenly felt tears forming from her eyes. "Zuko!" When her call went unanswered, she buried her head into her brother's chest and wept for her friend.

"This can't be happening," Aerrow said in denial.

Dudley sniffed and said, "I'm afraid so. He's… he's climbing the Stairway to Heaven!"

The others did nothing but lower their heads in remembrance of their friend for his brave and selfless act. If not for Zuko, then they, along with everyone else in Toon City, would have drowned.

All of a sudden, Radarr let out a surprised chirp when he heard a low groan. He looked up and saw Zuko lift his head and open his eyes with a smile. Radarr let out another chirp to get the others' attention and they all looked ecstatic to see a miracle take place.

Looking up at his friends, Zuko said, "Remind me never to do that again."

Cheers echoed in the chamber from all of Zuko's friends. Katara soon helped him to his feet and then embraced him, letting her tears soak into his shirt. Zuko hugged the girl back for a few seconds where they broke apart and let everyone else crowd around him.

Kitty heard a groan from the back and saw Azula begin to stir much like her brother. She walked over to where the girl laid and took out a pair of handcuffs that she immediately latched onto Azula's wrists. Azula looked up and narrowed her eyes angrily, knowing that it was useless to try and fight back since she was still in pain.

"In the name of the Turbo Undercover Fighting Force," said Kitty, "you are under arrest."

With their accomplishments having been won, the group walked out of the dam with Azula in tow. They got out to the forest just as the morning sun loomed over and spread its light and warmth across Toon City. The instant that their eyes adjusted to the brightness did they see thousands of eyes staring upon them as every citizen looked at them with expectant glances.

Mayor Quimby stood from the stage and gestured a hand over to the group saying into the microphone, "People of Toon City, I give you our saviours!"

Just like before, cheers filled the ears of the T.U.F.F. agents that came from every person in Toon City. Aerrow and all his friends smiled at seeing the mayor successfully earn back the trust of every civilian but also for being recognized for whom they were and what they did to save their home from destruction. Now, they honestly felt they had gotten the freedom they desired.

* * *

><p>BlueTiger321: Well, now wasn't that an awesome final battle or what?<p>

Aerrow: Yes. Yes, it was.

Kitty: And hurray for Zuko.

Zuko: Aw, it was nothing.

Azula: If only I won.

Aerrow, Kitty and Zuko: Shut up, Azula!

BlueTiger321: Anyway, folks, the story's not over yet as I still have the last part to write, so stay tuned for the grand finale. Until next time…

Aerrow, Kitty and Zuko: Read and review!


	13. Epilogue: Freedom

Epilogue: Freedom

BlueTiger321: Well, this had to come eventually. It really pains me to say this but I must bring this story to an end. It's a real shame too, because I got to have some of my favourite characters sing some of my favourite songs. But you can bet that I've saved the best song for last! Yeah! So let's get on with it!

* * *

><p>It was two weeks after Azula attempted to flood the city. Mayor Quimby regained his position as the rightful ruler. During that time, the walls that surrounded Toon City were demolished so that every citizen had the right and freedom to come and go as they pleased. The TYGER operatives and every thug that was let loose had been returned to their prison, Arkham City, as punishment for all their crimes, never to be freed again, along with their former master, Azula, who was locked away in the deepest part of the prison and never allowed to even see the light of day.<p>

The civilians spent the weeks cleaning up their city. With their combined efforts, their home was looking like it used to in such a shorter time than any of them anticipated. It would still take some time for them to get back to their normal lives, but now they were certain that nothing harmful would stand in their way.

But that day would have to wait as every citizen was gathered inside Toon City Park. Despite the park's size in the city block, many of the citizens still had to stay in the streets but still had a clear view of what transpired. A large stage stood in the park's centre where Mayor Quimby addressed his fellow toons with a confident smile. It was to be a celebration to honour the hard work and dedication of those who made their freedom possible.

Behind the stage were those very same people. The T.U.F.F. agents all stood patiently while the mayor delivered his speech. They took the time to talk amongst themselves before they were directed to go on stage to accept their appraisal.

"Well, we finally did it," said Aerrow.

"I can hardly believe it myself," said Piper. "Our home is safe and it's all because of us."

"Not just that," Danny commented. "I think we've all learned something about each other."

"That's right," June added. "There was a side to all of us that we were too afraid to show. But this whole thing taught us that we should stand up for who we are and not let anyone decide who we're meant to be."

"Also," said Katara, "we shouldn't be too quick to judge others, especially those we've known for a long time." As she said that, her attention was pointed over to Zuko.

Zuko smiled back at his friend for thinking of him. "And I've learned that you shouldn't keep anything from your friends, especially if it's a secret that affects all of them."

Junko was heartfelt by all his friends, so much so that his eyes were as big as saucers while he could feel tears coming on. "I love you guys!" The Wallop held out his arms and hugged Aerrow, Piper, Danny and June in a huge embrace, but his strength crushed them so hard that they felt their ribs pushing down on their lungs. It was only when he heard their cries of pain that he let go. "Oh, sorry," Junko said with a sheepish grin.

The Chief hoped onto Dudley's head to look at the group of friends. Never had he been so proud to work with such an amazing bunch. "On behalf of T.U.F.F.," he said, "I'd like to thank you all for your help. Without you, who knows what would've happened if Azula continued her evil reign?"

"Well, I'm sure it would've been a c-c-c-catastrophe," said Keswick.

"But then Zuko saved the day," said Dudley. "Azula won't do anymore of her evil plots, not after she's been thunderstruck!"

Kitty laughed a bit at her partner's comment before saying, "Anyway, all of you really came through for us, and that's why we're making you honorary members of T.U.F.F."

Aerrow and his friends all smiled jubilantly by the words. Being together as part of a group was already special to them, but hearing mention of becoming members of such a prestigious organization made them feel like they would be something more. They all felt so privileged that they remained silent for time, until Aang walked up to speak for all his friends.

"Thank you so much," said the Avatar. "It was an honour to work alongside all of you to restore our city."

"If you ever need a hand, then please don't hesitate to give us a call," said Sokka.

"Are you sure about that?" said Stork. "What if they're about to disarm a nuclear warhead and they need us to do it?"

Toph punched Stork in the arm for his remark, thinking it was rude of him to insult their new friends' token of appreciation. "Just shut up and take the compliment."

Finn, not paying attention to what was going on around him, looked at his smartphone and gave an unsatisfied grunt. He looked back at the others and said, "Hey, can someone explain why there's a video of me on YouTube called 'The Air Guitar Doofus'? It's already got like a million hits, but I don't remember doing it."

The others said nothing and all shifted their eyes around to avoid eye contact with Finn like they had nothing to do with it. Finn narrowed his eyes in annoyance and decided not to pursue the issue any further, seeing that his friends were going to keep it a secret from him, a secret that he was better off not knowing.

Then, Mayor Quimby's voice from the speakers said, "…and now I present to you the heroes of Toon City!"

The T.U.F.F. agents knew that was their cue to come out on stage. They walked out and waved to the people just as cheers came up from the crowd. All over the park they saw the civilians they saved and felt that seeing them all alive and well was its own reward for being heroes.

The group walked over to a separate microphone apart from Mayor Quimby's lectern. When the cheers died down, Aerrow was the first one to approach the microphone while Radarr and Piper stood next to him.

"Thank you, Mayor Quimby," said the Sky Knight. "I just want to say that we did this for everyone in our city, not just ourselves. We couldn't let our freedom be threatened any longer, and that was what compelled us to stop Azula. Toon City is a place where everyone should have the right to live according to what they want, and nobody, not even Azula, should deny us that right. I'm proud to say that my friends and I have achieved our goal and that we would do it again!"

Again the crowd erupted in cheers, feeling thankful for all of T.U.F.F.'s hard work. It was during that time that Piper came up to Aerrow with a proud look on her face. Feeling that there was no more need to wait, the two kissed each other on the lips, making the crowd cheer even louder.

Danny and June followed the Storm Hawks' example by kissing each other as well, followed by Dudley and Kitty, and then Aang and Katara. The four couples felt glad that they could show their love in a city where they felt safe.

Aerrow and Piper soon broke apart along with the other couples, and the Sky Knight turned back to the microphone and said, "Now then, I say we celebrate our freedom! We sing out because we can!"

The cheers came out again just as a song began to play.

"**Smells Like Teen Spirit"**

**As Made Famous by Nirvana**

Everyone recognized the music coming from the speakers and it made them all raise their arms and want to sing along to it.

_Load up on guns and bring your friends_

_It's fun to lose and to pretend_

_She's over bored and self-assured_

_Oh no, I know a dirty word_

The crowd raised their voices while singing along with the chorus, drowning out all other sounds.

_Hello, hello, hello, how low?_

_Hello, hello, hello, how low?_

_Hello, hello, hello, how low?_

_Hello, hello, hello!_

Only the T.U.F.F. agents sang out the next verse while the crowd cheered them on.

_With the lights out, it's less dangerous_

_Here we are now, entertain us_

_I feel stupid and contagious_

_Here we are now, entertain us_

_A mulatto_

_An albino_

_A mosquito_

_My libido_

_Yay!_

_Yay!_

_Yay!_

Again, the crowd did nothing but cheer, knowing that what would come next was going to be something that was meant for their heroes to do.

_I'm worse at what I do best_

_And for this gift I feel blessed_

_Our little group has always been_

_And always will until the end_

The T.U.F.F. agents looked at the citizens and felt so happy that they could all come together for such a joyous occasion, for nothing felt more joyous than freedom.

_Hello, hello, hello, how low?_

_Hello, hello, hello, how low?_

_Hello, hello, hello, how low?_

_Hello, hello, hello!_

All the T.U.F.F. agents then got to the microphone with Aerrow to sing out, letting the speakers carry their voices across the park like thunder booming in the clouds.

_With the lights out, it's less dangerous_

_Here we are now, entertain us_

_I feel stupid and contagious_

_Here we are now, entertain us_

_A mulatto_

_An albino_

_A mosquito_

_My libido_

_Yay!_

_Yay!_

_Yay!_

All of a sudden, Keswick pulled out the Air Guitar-enabler from his jacket and aimed it at Finn. The beam was fired and covered the blonde sharpshooter to make him once again play air guitar without his knowledge. Rather than laughing at Finn, everyone cheered him on when he played to match the song's guitar solo.

When the solo ended, Keswick fired another beam at Finn and ended his air guitar playing. Finn looked around confusedly but then brushed it off while the next verse played.

_And I forget just why I taste_

_Oh yeah, I guess it makes me smile_

_I found it hard, it was hard to find_

_Oh well, whatever, nevermind_

Soon the T.U.F.F. agents clapped their hands along to the chorus and the crowd followed along with them.

_Hello, hello, hello, how low?_

_Hello, hello, hello, how low?_

_Hello, hello, hello, how low?_

_Hello, hello, hello!_

This time, the crowd sang along with the T.U.F.F. agents just as the song neared its end.

_With the lights out, it's less dangerous_

_Here we are now, entertain us_

_I feel stupid and contagious_

_Here we are now, entertain us_

_A mulatto_

_An albino_

_A mosquito_

_My libido_

_A denial!_

_A denial!_

_A denial!_

_A denial!_

_A denial!_

_A denial!_

_A denial!_

_A denial!_

_A denial!_

The song ended with more cheers from the crowd and fireworks erupting from the back of the stage that shot into the sky and exploded in an array of colours. The toons of Toon City would now live their lives with the one thing that would always guide them—freedom.

**THE END**

* * *

><p>BlueTiger321: Yes! Now wasn't that an awesome story?<p>

Aerrow and Piper: Yeah!

Danny and June: All right!

Dudley and Kitty: It was awesome!

Aang: The song list was great too!

Katara: Too bad that it had to end.

Zuko: Well, it had to come eventually.

Toph: So what happens now?

Sokka: Nothing. The story's over.

Finn: Aw, man!

Junko: Can't we let it go on just a little more?

Stork: *groans* I don't know why I hang out with you guys.

BlueTiger321: Because I say so, dammit! Anyway, folks, thank you all for reading my story. I hope you enjoyed it along with the songs I've chosen. As well, thanks to those of you who left comments. So please stay tuned when I'll have my next story up, though I don't really have any plans right now, but I'm sure they'll be amazing. Until next time…

Everyone: Read and review!


End file.
